Moving On
by midnightinjapan
Summary: Unrequited love can be painful but it's worse when you're a demi-god. Pairing: Percico, Percy/Nico


Title: Moving On

Author: MidnightinJapan

Disclaimer: Characters, locations, etc are the property of Rick Riordan.

Edited by the fantastic Lordandladiesofthesilverscreen

Note: Contains spoilers from _The House of Hades_. This is my first contribution to this ship that I've sailed away with, and I hope you like it.

Summary: Unrequited love can be painful but it's worse when you're a demi-god.

* * *

Nico sat next to Percy Jackson in front of the lake at Camp Half-Blood. He was pulling blades of grass from the ground so he wouldn't have to make eye contact. Some part of him was still scared, but he wasn't hiding anymore, not completely. As much as he hated Cupid, the god had been right about needing to face his feelings. Ever since that fight for the scepter, it had been weighing on his mind and things were starting to get socially awkward between him and Percy. He knew it was only a matter of time. Nico was going to a lot of trouble when Percy was around. When Nico did the group shadow travel at the House of Hades and came up holding Percy's hand, it had almost been too much. Now he tried to make sure he was on the other side of the room, or the other end of the table when Percy was present. Percy was starting to shoot him those concerned looks he could give. He would start asking questions soon and Nico hoped that Jason wasn't the type of person to accidently spill a secret. He wasn't ready for everyone to know but he could do this, at least.

The war with Gaea was over, the doors of death sealed, and the natural balance restored. Somehow they had done the impossible. The Greek and Roman camps joined forces, but it had not been easy. Nico, Reyna, and Coach Hedge had succeeded in returning the Athena Parthenos. Nico shadow-traveled that absurdly huge statue half-way around the world and it had nearly killed him. When they arrived, the Romans and Greeks were very close to war thanks to Octavian, who turned out to be a spy for Gaea. And the little creep ran before they could capture him.

Reyna had draped Nico's arm over her shoulders, supporting him when he collapsed. With Coach Hedge guarding her from attack, she gave some incredible speech that soothed everyone's tempers and made them realize how pointless killing each other would be. Nico was blacking out through most of it and now that he looked back it was more likely that Reyna had used him as a prop to make a point about how Greeks and Romans could work together. He didn't really mind, Romans were like that, they were all about propaganda and putting on a show, and in the end it worked. She presented the statue to the Greeks and formally apologized.

Chiron was the first to lay down his bow and shake Reyna's hand, which inspired everyone else to follow his example. Nico was out cold for almost two days after that. It was only thanks to a steady stream of nectar and ambrosia being force-fed to him that he was able to pull out of it. As it turned out, Percy and the others could not stop Gaea from rising. She tricked them to get the blood she needed. But the return of the Athena Parthenos and the uniting of both camps also helped the gods overcome their split personality problems. It was good news but even with all the gods fully active –and a bit more powerful with both their personas—the battle had still been gruesome to say the very least.

There was an unprecedented loss of life that had both camps in mourning, his sister included. It was Nico's plan to leave camp and take his shame with him, but he couldn't go and leave Hazel fighting in a war. He lost Bianca because he was too little and scared to protect her on her quest. He brought Hazel back from the dead and he would not let her down too. Now, the war was over and he still couldn't leave. Leo's trick with the flame-proof cloth had not been an end-all solution to Frank's problem. After the battle, Rachel Elizabeth Dare came to Nico in tears and told him that she had seen Frank's death in her visions of the final battle. At first Nico was furious but she told him that there was no way to save Frank. It was his destiny, his fate. No matter what, he would have sacrificed himself to save Hazel and everyone else.

Nico guessed that it was true about the brightest stars burning out the fastest. He couldn't go now with Hazel so deep in depression. He had special consent from both camps to keep her at Camp Half-Blood in the Hades cabin with him. He didn't think Hazel would kill herself, but he feared that she would let herself die. She didn't have the energy or desire to lift a fork to her mouth, so Nico had resorted to force-feeding and begging. When she wasn't crying, she was sleeping. She passed out about an hour ago and Nico wanted to use this time to settle things with Percy.

Everyone was in a darker mood these days, even the gods -who were mourning their dead children. Nico had spent most of his time avoiding people so while he was sad about the situation it was to a lesser degree. True, he had liked Frank once he got to know him, but the main reason he cared was because Frank Zhang had made his sister happy. Her life and her happiness, that's what he really cared about -that and the boy sitting next to him.

Percy was depressed too and Nico knew why. Percy felt like he should have done more, saved more half-bloods -saved _**all**_ the half-bloods. It was part of what Nico liked and hated about him. He wanted to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders –despite having literally almost died attempting that—and he wanted to saved everyone. He still remembered how his adoration of Percy started and even now the memory him anxious.. The son of Poseidon faced down a Manticore to protect him and Bianca when he didn't even know them. But this personality trait also infuriated him. When he tried to run away from camp and do things on his own, he ended up in trouble and who came to his rescue every time? How could he run away from Percy, in the hopes of getting over him, if Percy kept showing up to save his life?

But he was done hating Percy, if it had even been hate to begin with. The truth is, when he looked back on that time, all he could remember feeling is pain. Nico glanced at him. Percy looked like he was brooding, like he was still stuck in the week before when the battle was raging. His green eyes were intense and his black hair looked more ruffled than usual. He was wearing his orange camp t-shirt and a pair of torn blue jeans. It was hard not to glance at the skin that was peeking out through those rips. There was a new bead on his necklace. It was made of shiny black onyx with two little doors engraved on it to symbolize the doors of death. Nico cleared his throat loudly but was still staring at the grass. Through his peripheral vision he could see Percy snap back to the present and look over at him. It was time to rip off this emotional band-aid.

"Sorry Nico, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"First, I wanted to ask if you could keep what I'm about to say between us? I mean I guess you can tell Annabeth, she's your girlfriend, but it's not something I'm ready to have all over camp."

"Yeah. I mean sure. I won't say anything." Percy was listening intently now and Nico could feel his heart speeding up. It was almost like it wanted to break free and run to avoid this conversation more than Nico did.

"I- this isn't easy for me." He looked at Percy and he was afraid and he knew he wasn't hiding it very well.

"It's okay, take your time man," he said. Nico turned away again, letting his hair cover his eyes.

"When I ran away after I stopped those skeletons, after you told me Bianca was gone?" He could see Percy tense up through his bangs.

"Yeah?"

"It wasn't just her death. I mean I was angry and I _**did**_ blame you, but there was another reason why." He took a deep breath and plowed ahead. "I liked you," he said simply.

"I liked you," he said again, "I think I might still like you." Nico kept his head down. He was clawing at the grass now and tried to focus on the anything but Percy's face. For a few heartbeats there was silence. Percy didn't say anything and Nico's confession just hung in the air between them.

He pretended to watch the naiads swimming in the lake and tried to keep his breathing under control. Of all the things to be ignorant about, he couldn't believe he didn't know the warning signs of a heart attack. He was also starting to sweat and was tempted to make the ground open up and swallow him.

"When you say _**like**_, do you mean…" Percy's sentence trailed off and Nico understood. He was still evading, he would have to say it.

"I had- have feelings for you! I ran away because I was scared. And then I stayed away because by the time I figured out what I was feeling, I also realized that you liked Annabeth and I couldn't watch you and her toget- I just couldn't." He had to stop because his eyes were stinging and he knew one more word would send him over the edge. He braced himself and waited for the laughter.

"Nico…I didn't know." He looked over at Percy and the mocking he expected wasn't there. Percy looked sad, maybe sympathetic, confused, stunned, but not angry or malicious. There was a hint of a blush on his cheeks but that was most likely embarrassment.

"I- well," said Percy gently, "I'm not saying it isn't a shock, I mean I thought you hated me for the longest time."

"I did a little, but not nearly as much as I hate myself," Nico replied bitterly.

"Why?" The confusion in Percy's voice made Nico annoyed. Nobody understood, not Jason and not Percy either.

"Why not?" He threw back, the rage building up in him so fiercely that it snuffed out any tears.

"My life started in the 1930s! There was no tolerance for this! I remember once that I said another boy was cute in front of my mother and she was horrified! I'm the son of Hades, an automatic social pariah and I didn't need this on top of that!" The grass around him was beginning to turn brown and Percy knew where this was heading. They didn't need undead legions popping up in camp right now. He crawled over in front of Nico and took both of his thin shoulders in his hands.

"Nico, stop! Calm down." He held Nico's gaze until the younger boy closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," Nico whispered as he opened his eyes again. Percy searched his face to make sure before letting go of him and sitting on his knees.

"Nico, you don't have to be ashamed, this isn't the 1930s anymore and even if it were, we're children of Greek gods! Back when Chiron taught my latin class he told us-"

"Chiron taught your latin class?" Nico looked at him in disbelief.

"Not the point. He said the majority of the gods were bisexual or at least bi-curious I guess. Like there was this boy, a Trojan named Ganymede, and Zeus fell in love with him because he was so beautiful. And they were together for a while and Zeus made him immortal and everything. It just wasn't something they made a big deal about."

"Yeah, I know it happened a lot, but it's still not the same," said Nico in an empty tone.

"What's so different?"

"They all go back to woman eventually. Zeus goes back to Hera or moves on to some nymph or mortal woman. I'm pretty sure I'm not even attracted to…" He looked away from those sea-green eyes.

"It's not that big a difference, Nico, seriously," said Percy gently.

"So you're just okay with this? It doesn't bug you, or gross you out that I have a crush on you?" Nice stared at Percy intently watching for anything that would give away revulsion and confirm his fears.

"I'm not gonna lie and say I'm not surprised. I did wonder why you were still acting so angry at me even after you forgave me about Bianca, but I don't care that you don't like girls. And I'm definitely not disgusted by you," he said honestly.

"But you don't feel that way about me," the edge in Nico's voice was more sad than bitter now. Percy moved to sit beside Nico, closer this time, and they stared at the naiads splashing half-heartedly in the lake.

"I've never even thought about it," he said to Nico. "I had a crush on Annabeth and then on Rachel kind of and that was confusing for a while but I've never stopped to consider if I could be attracted to a guy. But now I can't see myself with anybody but Annabeth." He tried to be easy about it but he saw how Nico flinched at Annabeth's name.

"I do love her," he said firmly. "Maybe the reason why I can't even imagine anyone else –gender aside—is because she fills my head. I can't hear or see anyone else." Nico was still as a statue next to him. His was head bent low so his eyes were hidden by his bangs again. Nico's negative moods gave off energy and right now Percy could feel his sadness. He placed a hand on Nico's shoulder and was relieved when the 14-year-old didn't shrug it off.

"I'm sorry, Nico. Maybe we can't be what you want but it's not because I'm repulsed, I'm just already with someone and I think of you as a friend."

"Yeah, I know," he replied sadly.

"Have you really not told anyone else? Not even Hazel?"

"Jason knows," he shrugged.

"How?"

"Jason and I went to get Diocletian's scepter from Cupid. He attacked us and told me I had to confess and face my feelings to conquer him. It was the only way to defeat him and get it."

"What did Jason say?"

"That I needed to stop being afraid of being rejected because of this, basically." Nico shrugged again and Percy squeezed his shoulder.

"He was right, Nico. We lost Frank but the rest of our circle of friends is still here. We've fought beside you, shared meals with you, and you've saved your fair share of lives. You wouldn't be rejected or judged."

"They're your friends, Percy, not mine." Percy sighed and let his hand drop.

"And you need to stop pushing people away. There are people who want to be friends with you but you use your aura and silence to frighten them."

"Maybe," Nico replied pitifully.

"At the very least you should tell Hazel when she comes around. She's your sister and she cares, she's just struggling right now." This time Nico only nodded, still staring at the water.

"And I am glad you told me, Nico. I'm sorry you kept this bottled up for so long and I still want to be friends with you. Are you gonna be okay?" Nico stood up and brushed the dead grass from his jeans.

"I'll be fine. I'm going to check on Hazel. And thanks for not freaking out about this I guess." He didn't wait for a reply he just walked away back toward the cabins.

* * *

Days passed and Nico stayed at camp. He tried to socialize more – though it was only with the Argo crew - and nursed Hazel through her depression. He avoided Percy but it wasn't like before when his aura filled the air with tension at the very mention of Percy's name. After telling Percy about his feelings he felt better and worse. He told Jason that he had given up on Percy but that had not been entirely true. It wasn't until they were sitting in the grass and he was pouring out his feelings that he realized he had still been holding on to some hope. Percy hadn't been horrible about it but, of course, he picked Annabeth. He didn't make it all about Annabeth being a girl, but he had still ruled Nico out –stuffed him into the friendzone- and that was painful. But there **was** something liberating about getting the truth out.

Jason spent his time traveling between both camps as a kind of ambassador to help keep them on good terms so they didn't fall back into their old habits of hating and distrusting each other. The struggle with Gaea had changed Jason. He wasn't entirely Roman or Greek, but that made him the perfect bridge between the two. It was on one of his visits to Camp Half-Blood that Nico decided to try and believe that Jason **was** his friend. They went walking in the strawberry fields and Nico told him about his conversation with Percy. Jason was supportive and said he was proud of Nico for being brave again.

"You know you'll find someone, right?" He asked, looking over at Nico. The sun was just right with the camp's controlled weather and they were sneaking strawberries when the satyrs weren't looking.

"I know it probably doesn't feel like it now, but you'll meet someone just as good as Percy." He bit into another strawberry and watched Nico, wondering if he said the right thing.

"Maybe," Nico said, "I…" The younger boy shook his head in frustration. Jason snatched another strawberry and waited for Nico to continue.

"What Percy said? About Annabeth? He said she fills his head and he can't think about anyone else. But…that's how I feel about him."

He looked so dejected and hurt and it made Jason feel horrible for him. He reached up and put an arm around Nico's shoulders. And they walked that way for a while, talking and swiping strawberries until Jason got caught and the satyrs used their reed pipes to chase them out of the fields with swatting vines.

* * *

_Hazel's reflections on the four months following the defeat of Gaea._

Eventually Hazel managed to step outside of her grief and she noticed the change in Nico. She'd never been so grateful that she and Nico were the only two living children of the underworld because she didn't think he would have dropped his guard in front of a cabin full of people, siblings or not. She had seen Nico do so many amazing things, he would always be her strong big brother. He brought her back to life and took care of her when she was lost in the dark so to watch him break down when he told her that he was in love with Percy Jackson, was heart wrenching. Even though he only shed a handful of tears, for Nico that was a lot. She told him it was okay and he lay with his head in her lap, looking despondent and she knew it was her turn to be strong for him.

"Maybe we need to go?" She whispered as she ran her fingers through his hair.

They moved to Camp Jupiter. There was an open invitation between the camps now. But most of the campers were so used to their respective ones that not very many changed sides. It was hard for Hazel to go back. She had to look around and see all the places where she and Frank use to walk and spend time together, but she could tell Nico needed to be somewhere away from Percy and Annabeth. And Nico had always gotten on better at her camp because Romans respected Pluto as much as they feared him. They went to coffee shops, watched movies, and she even got Nico to take a few classes that weren't all about fighting monsters. The gloom lifted from both camps and people started laughing again. She and Nico mostly laughed with each other but it was an improvement.

Since the battle, the other campers didn't treat them like they were walking bad luck but they were still loners. They leaned on each other and started feeling like a real family. They helped each other to learn to use the modern gadgets they weren't use to. She even forced him to go clothes shopping when he started to hit a growth spurt, but the majority of what they bought was still all black and it made her giggle. Nico's color improved –his skin looking more olive and less pale as he spent more time around the living. The dark bruises under his eyes were lighter as well. Hazel suspected those would never completely go away, but they gave his face character and definition.

She noticed other girls glancing at him sometimes but he never showed any interest and she tried not to press. It didn't bother her at all if her brother was gay –it did worry her that he still couldn't say that word—but she also thought about what Percy told him. It made her wonder if Nico would ever be able to untangle his emotions from Percy long enough to really figure out if he was only attracted to guys or if he was bi-sexual. She just wanted him to test the waters, even with another guy. They were all still young even though the life of a demi-god forced you to grow up fast. Could anyone have their sexuality completely figured out at fourteen, especially if their sexuality rested on the feelings they had for one person? She didn't know what they were going to do if Percy and Annabeth ever made good on those goals to move to New Rome. Sometimes, when she got too close to that subject, Hazel could see Nico's eyes darken, like storm clouds rolling in over a clear sky and she feared he would retreat to the underworld like he did before. Eventually that look started to come less and less and she felt hopeful that he was going to be okay.

But when you're a demi-god, happiness is a fleeting thing. Little things started to go wrong between the two camps. Messengers getting lost, then visitors getting ambushed on their way between the two, even Jason was attacked. There were attempts to breech the borders of both camps. And all the time the attackers were hidden but shouted out allegiances to one camp or another depending on who their victims were. Finally, a joint quest was proposed. The crew of the Argo II came together again –Frank replaced with Reyna. Hazel thought the only problem would be her brother having to watch Percy and Annabeth together, but things got so much worse. When it was time to consult the Oracle, Rachel Elizabeth Dare gave them this:

"_The sworn revenge of a bitter enemy _

_Combines the will of Rome and Greece_

_Hecate's power binds all hope_

_The heroine's victory born from grief."_

As it turned out, Octavian was the culprit all along, the loose end they never tied up. He teamed up with monsters and was manipulating the mist trying to start a war between the camps. Once they arrived, his mist surrounded and crippled them and forced them live their worst nightmares. Hazel countered his magic because after defeating Pasiphae, Octavian was nothing to her. Nico summoned the dead soldiers who were not fooled by his magic. They marched straight for Octivan and restrained him. But the disgraced former augur only laughed because he had managed to trick them. Before anyone realized what the real threat was, Annabeth was gone when the mist cleared. Seized by a group of empousai, they wrestled her away into the woods leaving everyone else to chase them down.

They just weren't fast enough. There were monsters blocking their progress –slowing them as much as possible. It was a plot to raise Hyperion from tartarus and it required a demi-god sacrifice. By the time they reached Annabeth the empousai had already stabbed her with her own dagger and poured her blood over the Titan's sword to activate the spell. Nico and Hazel tried to use their combined powers to keep the portal from opening in but it was too much. Hyperion came through, rose from the ground in all his blinding brightness and cruel, arrogant laughter. With undisguised pleasure, the titan declared that Percy would be next to die.

His laughter stopped soon enough when he turned around for his sword and it was gone. Before he had time to utter another word, they saw the tip of the blade sprout from his chest. It was Annabeth –bleeding and in pain—she still managed to pool her strength drive Hyperion's sword straight through his armor. The titan of the east exploded with a roar. The heat and force vaporized the surrounding demons and blew all the demi-gods back several feet. Hazel must have knocked her head pretty good because all she remembered was Nico shaking her awake and propping her to sit when she groggily came to.

But she will never forget what she saw next. Percy crawling over to Annabeth, who had been right in the center of the explosion, and she wasn't moving. Hazel looked at her brother.

"She's not gone yet but she's slipping fast," he said as he watched. "There's nothing we can do."

They all crept closer, not wanting to crowd the couple, but unable to keep away. Percy was screaming for nectar and ambrosia but it was pointless. He cradled Annabeth's head and she gave him a weak smile.

"S'okay," she breathed shakily, "think I might make it to Elysium."

"No, no, no! Not yet!" Percy smoothed her hair back from her face. "You have to stay," he whispered frantically.

"You still have things to do," she whispered back. "But I'll be waiting for you there. Percy…I love you." When her stormy eyes went blank, Hazel was sure the gods on Olympus could hear Percy screaming.

* * *

_Hazel_

_One year and three months later._

"Have you made a choice yet?"

It was a clear Saturday in March and Hazel and Nico were walking to their favorite diner in New Rome for breakfast. They went through the open-air market and tried to avoid the fauns, especially Don. Nico was wearing a white long-sleeve shirt that she bought for him and had to bully him into. She didn't see why he objected, it was a nice contrast to his olive skin and thick, black hair. He walked with his shoulders slumped and his hands shoved into the pockets of his usual black jeans. At least she got him out of the aviator jacket today.

"No," he sighed

"Yeah, I don't know what to do either."

"I don't even know why this is a problem," he grumbled.

"You know why. We're not participating in regiment drills, or anything else really and we can't keep living in the barracks. If we don't decide to be active heroes in the legion then we need to officially retire and move to New Rome. You're supposed to serve on active duty for ten years but Reyna said we've done enough. Even though she would like to keep us both on active duty, since we're so awesome," she grinned. "But she also agrees that we've been more heroic than most half-bloods. This is a rare offer, Nico."

"It's just a hassle. There are no rules like that in Camp Half-Blood. You can go year-round whether you train or not."

"Lazy Greek," she said playfully.

"Ridged Roman," he replied and smirked at her.

He opened the diner door for her and smell of pancakes and coffee floated out –along with really bad diner music. They snagged a two-person table tucked away in a corner, right next to a window. She ordered orange juice and Nico ordered black coffee. Hazel had always liked this diner, it brought back sweet memories of Frank and their "breakfast for dinner" dates. It was Nico who helped her to realize that these memories were nothing to be afraid of. She looked at the pilaster[1] Corinthian columns on the walls, the gold and white tiles one the floor, and the hanging plants and she smiled. They were looking at their menus when in a comfortable silence when Hazel ruined it.

"If you want to, we could go back." She pretended to look at her menu but she could see Nico looking at her over the top of his.

"I don't know how I feel about that," he said, looking back down.

"We have more friends there," she said. "Jason and Piper? Leo?"

"I know," he said. Hazel was about to say more but the waitress came over and took their orders. Blueberry pancakes for Hazel and French toast and bacon for Nico. He had a pretty healthy appetite now, she was proud to say. He was gaining weight but would probably always be lean.

"I do miss it," he said finally.

"Me too. I'd never seen it until after the big battle and I spent…well all my time there in our cabin. I didn't even get to see most of it."

"Wouldn't you miss New Rome? Miss all this?" He made circular motion with his finger to indicate the diner. "We would have to eat cafeteria style every day. No more movie theaters or coffee shops either."

"That's not so bad. Unless you want to get an apartment?" Apartments were everywhere in New Rome and they didn't cost anything. No rent, no power bills, you just applied and paid for extras like cable and wi-fi.

"An apartment just feels so permanent, I'm not use to that, having like a real home."

"Just because the idea is foreign doesn't mean you wouldn't like it. And anyway, you think of the Hades cabin as home."

"That's different. I designed and built it."

"Summoned the undead workers who built it," she corrected.

"Same thing," he said shrugging.

"You do think of it as home, as yours, even though you never stayed there even after you built the cabin. It wasn't until you had to take care of me that you spent a decent amount of time there," she said matter-of-factly. He only nodded and looked out the window.

"Is that why you can't make a decision? Because back there is home and New Rome isn't?" She wasn't hurt or judging him. She just wanted to know what was going on inside his head.

"Probably…yes."

"But you don't wanna go back?"

"I just- maybe? No? I don't know," he sighed. He was still looking out at the pedestrians and lares going up and down the street. Hazel was used to this. Emotions were hard for Nico after spending so much time being angry, scared, and in pain. His emotions also had a direct link to his powers so it made him afraid to let them out. That was something Hazel could sympathize with. The waitress brought their food and for a minute she concentrated on pouring syrup on her pancakes.

"You know he's not there," she said gently. "If that's what you're worried about. I talked to Piper a few days ago in an Iris message and nothing's changed. No one's seen him or knows where he is."

Nico said nothing and didn't look at her. He just spread butter on his French toast, looking for all the world, like she had never even said anything. Hazel sighed and concentrated on her food too. The silence between them wasn't comfortable anymore it was as loaded as a gun. She supposed she should have known better than to bring that up here in a crowded place. It was hard enough to get him to open up to her when they were alone. Still, she didn't complain because she had been far worse after Frank's death and Nico never pushed her.

"Hey Hazel!" She turned around and saw Jessica walking toward them. She smiled and waved, because her mouth was full of pancakes. Jessica, daughter of Ceres, was a cute smiley girl with hair the color of wheat, and light brown eyes that stood out among the splatter of freckles across her nose. Her jeans were usually smeared with dirt from gardening, and Hazel knew she had a crush on Nico.

"Hey Jess, how's the crop coming in?" Jessica's eyes lit up and she bounced on the balls of her feet and smiled.

"It's looking really great! I think we'll have bumper crops again!" She said brightly.

"That's great!" Hazel forced a smile but out of the corner of her eye she could see Nico looking awkward. Maybe it was because he could see Jessica shooting him those nervous little hopeful glances too.

"Hi Nico," she said.

"Hey," he replied.

"I really like that shirt," she said nicely.

"Oh." Nico looked down at himself as if he had forgotten he was even wearing a shirt. "Yeah, Hazel made me wear it."

"Well, she was right because it looks good on you." Jessica grinned.

"Yeah, thanks."

Jessica's smile dropped a little and she said good-bye and left them alone. Hazel sighed but didn't say anything. Jessica had always been nice to Hazel before Nico showed up, but when he did, Jessica's crush was instant and obvious. Hazel wondered if it had anything to do with her father and Persephone. Was there just a natural attraction between the children of Ceres/Demeter and children of the underworld? Life and death maybe?

"Let's go," he said suddenly. She stopped chugging her orange juice and looked at him in confusion.

"Go where? I'm not done!" She looked down pointedly at her half-finished pancakes.

"No, to Camp Half-Blood. Let's just visit it again before making a decision."

"Okay," she said happily. "You sure?" He nodded and she beamed. She didn't know if Jessica somehow brought this on but if Nico was ready to face his memories at Camp Half-Blood, she was ready to cheer him on. Hazel plucked a piece of bacon from his plate and he smiled at her.

* * *

_Nico_

They notified both camps of their plans –new standard procedure—and packed a couple of backpacks. It was supposed to be a week-long visit at most so there was no need to take much. Between the morning at the diner and the moment he and Hazel started walking to the border of camp, there were many times that he wanted to call the whole thing off. He didn't know what he was thinking. Yes, he missed Camp Half-Blood, he missed his cabin, and the familiar sights of the first magical place he'd ever been to. But they left so he could –once again—put some distance between him and Percy. Now he didn't want to go back because he didn't know if he could handle Percy not being there.

The truth was that a lot of his most painful memories were tied to Camp Half-Blood. It was where he'd been in the same place with Bianca for the last time and she had ditched him to be with the Hunters of Artemis. And it was where he started to blame Percy for her death, and where he discovered his powers and emotions in the most frightening way possible. But for some reason he still longed for it. _It probably has something to do with my Dad_, he thought.

Isn't that how it was for Hades? He was bitter and jealous that Zeus got to rule the sky and Olympus. He had so much rage directed toward that place and yet Nico knew how much being invited there after the defeat of Kronos had meant to his father. There was a time when Nico thought of the underworld as home, but that had been when he was angry and hiding from himself and the world. Now that he'd spent so long above with Hazel, he wasn't sure.

"Hold on!" Hazel said. He came out of his thoughts and turned around to see that they were at the tunnel. Hazel had an excited look in her golden eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut and whistled. For a moment he had no idea what she was doing and then he remembered Arion about two seconds before the horse showed up in front of them. Hazel ran over to him and hugged his nose. A gold brick popped out of the ground next to Hazel and Arion bent down and crunched on it happily.

"I thought we were going to shadow travel?"

"Oh please, Nico? It's been forever since I've ridden Arion." Nico eyed the horse suspiciously.

"I thought you were the only person who could ride him? What if he doesn't want me on him?" Animals tended to be spooked by Nico because they could smell his death-oriented aura.

"Arion," asked Hazel, "will you please take my brother and me to Camp Half-Blood? I'll make sure to give you some more yummy gold." The horse whinnied and tossed its head around, shaking its mane.

"He said yes!" Nico was still not happy about it but one look at Hazel's smile and he gave in. She climbed up and he shouldered his backpack and followed suit.

"Hold on tight," she yelled.

Arion zipped away so fast Nico was sure they'd left his stomach behind. Hazel whooped with joy as the landscape whizzed by them in a riot of colors and he had to squeeze his eyes shut stop himself from getting dizzy and falling off. Much as he loved his sister, this was not a good way to travel, especially since he was clinging to her for dear life and her hair kept flying up his nose.

"We're here!" She said a few moments later. He slid down and stumbled to stay upright. Hazel jumped down looking invigorated. She was right. They were at the border of Camp Half-Blood. He could see Thalia's tree on the hill ahead, the Golden Fleece shinning in the sunlight. He could even see Peleus from this angle. The guardian dragon of the Fleece had grown. He was huge now and Nico wondered how much the campers were feeding him. And of course the giant Athena Parthenos was standing right where he'd left her. Hazel produced more gold for Arion and petted him good-bye as he munched on it.

When they made their way to the top of Half-Blood hill they stopped and looked at the valley below. Everything was just like he remembered it right down to the rock climbing wall that gushed lava. He could see campers milling around doing various activities or just lounging. He could hear the ring of metal on metal from the sword fighting arena and the forges of the Hephaestus kids. Hazel was staring too, but then she had never seen the camp from this vantage point.

"Come on, we better go tell them we're here." He said with a small smile.

When they got to the big house Chiron was warm and welcoming as usual. Mr. D was nowhere to be found but that was alright with Nico. He and Hazel went to drop their stuff in cabin thirteen and Nico couldn't help the smile that came to his face when saw the ever-burning torches and the skull over the door. Hazel looked nostalgic but he couldn't tell if she was only thinking of how she'd spent her time cooped up inside in misery.

The inside of the cabin was dark but the walls were decorated with mid-relief depictions of the underworld done in black granite and contrasting white ivory. The floor was made of shiny black marble tiles and covered with shaggy black rugs. Candelabras on the wall used black wax candles that burned with netherworld fire though these were mostly for show since the cabin was wired for electric lights also. There were only two beds and he and Hazel had turned them to face each other. Nico and Hazel dropped their packs on their beds and headed back out. Hazel wanted to the grand tour. He showed her all the cabins but when they got to number three, he just kept walking and Hazel looked at the trident with a big bronze number 3 over the door and took the hint.

"So, what happens if a god only has one child living in this camp? Do they just stay in their cabin alone?" She sounded horrified and he laughed.

"It's not so bad having an entire cabin to yourself."

"Oh, right. Sorry. I forgot that you were here like that for a while," she said, taking his hand in hers.

"Percy too. Poseidon only has one demi-god child." He gave her hand a little squeeze and dropped it. Nico was still was still just a little uncomfortable with P.D.A.

"Anyway," he said going back to his normal tone, "the eating alone is the really annoying part."

Eventually they ran into Jason and Piper, who had apparently been looking for them. He got a hug from Piper and a clap on the back from Jason.

"Hey! Who started the reunion without me?" They all turned around Leo was strolling in their direction, smeared with grease and wearing his trusty tool belt.

"We thought you'd be busy," said Piper

"Nah, I just got done putting the finishing touches on the newly repaired Argo II!" He turned to Nico and Hazel with wide grin. "It's got celestial bronze monster-seeking missiles now!"

"Sweet," said Nico with smirk.

"So what brings you two back here?" Asked Leo. "What? Not enough awesome on the Roman side?"

"Guess not," said Hazel smiling.

They chatted for a few minutes until one of Leo's siblings came to find him and tell him that his girlfriend had shown up and was waiting for him, so he ran off without even giving a good-bye.

"She must be cute," said Hazel.

"Oh, you'll never believe who it is!" Laughed Piper.

"Who?" Nico and Hazel asked in unison.

"Only the goddess, Calypso," said Piper.

"What?" Hazel asked in disbelief.

"You're kidding," said Nico. "How did he pull that?"

"Met on our quest to the doors," Jason shrugged. After that Piper wanted to show Hazel the Pegasus stables so they walked off together.

"Wanna spar before dinner?" Asked Jason. "You look like you've gotten soft," he said smiling.

"You're on, golden boy," Nico replied with a wicked grin.

"Cool, but let's use regular bronze swords. I never said anything but that stygian sword of yours freaks me out."

They walked to the sword fighting arena laughing. All in all the day was better than Nico expected. He spared with Jason who bested him four out of six –he had to admit that he had gone a little soft—and then he showered and waited for the dinner gong with Hazel. It was different because before he had to sit at the Hermes table since he was unclaimed, but now he and Hazel had a table to themselves. The camp fire sing-along had been fun too, but he would never admit it. He was sure Hazel knew anyway. She kept nudging him with her elbow so he would sing and they both ended up smiling the whole time. So when they were back in the cabin and Hazel sat down on his bed with such a serious expression, he was confused.

"Can I tell you something?" She asked.

"For like the last year we've told each other everything. Why would it stop now?" He smiled and it didn't improve her mood.

"Because it's about you-know-who," she said quietly. Suddenly his mood dropped a little too.

"You can say his name, Hazel. It's about Percy. Go ahead. What is it?"

"I asked Piper where Grover was because we haven't seen him all day and she told me that Grover has an empathy link with Percy."

"Yeah he does," Nico recalled.

"She said that after…after Annabeth when Percy disappeared, Grover sensed his pain but they just thought he was off mourning and would return eventually. But about a month later Grover could feel this incredible rage along with the sorrow and it was getting stronger –bordering on a complete emotional break. Chiron decided that Percy needed to be found and sent Grover to do it." She looked at him as she finished the story and he didn't know what she saw but he felt hollow.

"Well, Grover will find him," he said simply.

"He's been looking this whole time and hasn't found him! And even if he does, Percy is strong and powerful and I've seen what he can do when he's angry. Grover can't bring him back."

"I'm sure Chiron knows what he's doing, Hazel. Besides what can we do?"

Hazel dropped subject but it nagged at Nico's mind for days afterward.

* * *

He tried to keep his thoughts away from it. He did more activities in four days at Camp Half-Blood than he'd done at Camp Jupiter for the last year. Jason was making it a mission to get Nico back in shape, probably because Nico was the only person who could offer him a decent challenge. One day after sparring and examining his bruises in the shower, he went back to the cabin to rest. Hazel was keeping busy learning to ride a golden Pegasus –named Banana- with Piper and taking archery lessons from the Apollo kids. So he thought he would have the cabin all to himself, but when he opened the door someone was sitting on his bed looking through Hazel's sketch book.

Since the peace between the two camps the gods were united with their Roman personas. They could willfully appear as both or either and would stay in control of their transformations unless war between their Greek and Roman children happened again. Hades and Pluto never did look very different so combining the two was like Hades borrowing Pluto's clothes. He was as Nico remembered him, unearthly pale skin, shoulder length black hair, slightly wild black eyes, but in a fancy suit. The skull ring his father hand given him suddenly got cold against his skin.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Hades put down Hazel's sketch book and examined his son.

"I like the cabin," he said finally.

"Thanks. Is that what you came for?" Nico stayed in the open doorway. He was nervous –actually he was downright scared. Why would his father show up randomly in the cabin at camp, looking through Hazel's stuff? Nico was terrified.

_He's come to take Hazel away._

"No," said Hades, as if he could read his son's mind.

"I don't under-"

"Nico!" He looked over his shoulder and saw Hazel running toward him in her new Camp Half-Blood shirt and khaki shorts. Before he could wave her away she was at his back.

"Why are you blocking the door?" When she finally turned and looked past him into the cabin, she froze. Her pretty gold eyes widened in fear and she gripped the back of Nico's shirt. Hades stood up and looked at her.

"Hazel," he said, smiling faintly. "Your drawings have improved. Come in and sit." Nico knew it wasn't a good idea to get his father angry, but he was already thinking of ways to get Hazel away.

"No need for the dramatics. Your sister is in no danger. Now sit down," he said firmly. They walked in slowly and the door shut behind them on its own. Hazel wasn't letting go of his shirt and he didn't blame her. They sat down on her bed and their father paced the floor a bit, looking at the various items on their desks. Nico was still trying to hide her with his body, his left side overlapping her right.

"You haven't come to take Hazel back to the underworld?" Nico asked.

"Zeus turned his daughter into a tree to keep her from my domain." He picked up a clay pot Hazel made in crafts with the Apollo kids and looked it over. "Then the magic of the Fleece healed and restored her. By all rights she should be dead. If he can bend the rules for his daughter, then so can I. I am the Lord of the Dead, after all," he said, turning back to them. Hazel released her grip on Nico's shirt but stayed close to him.

"So why have you come?" Nico asked. Hades walked back over to the center of the room and a cushy black chair appeared. He sat down and examined Nico again.

"That boy, Poseidon's son," Nico stiffened and he saw Hazel glance at him from the corner of his eye.

"He's missing. We know," Nico said flatly.

"Missing to you but I've known where he was for quite some time, and I'm sure his father did as well."

"What do you mean?" Hazel asked.

"For a while that brainless boy was on an impressive rampage. He was slaughtering monsters left and right, cutting a bloody path through the country. I couldn't help but notice the influx of creatures flowing into tartarus and decided to see what the cause was."

"He's been killing monsters this whole time?" Nico asked.

"He's become a very efficient little slayer," Hades said with a slightly wicked edge in his voice.

"And you didn't tell someone? Chiron?" Asked Hazel.

"Demi-gods kill monsters," Hades shrugged. "It's what you heroes are born to do so there was nothing to tell."

"So why are you telling us now?" Asked Nico suspiciously.

"Well maybe the monster slaying got boring because Percy Jackson is now in L.A., searching for the door to the underworld again."

"What?" They said in unison.

"Why?" Asked Hazel. Her fear for herself was forgotten and she staring, open-mouthed, at their father in utter shock.

"I was hoping you could tell me," Hades looked at them and Nico felt like his father was waiting for something.

"He's going after your sword," said Nico. "He's trying to free Annabeth's soul and bring her back."

"Who?" Said Hades, almost sounding bored.

"Annabeth," replied Hazel, "she was his girlfriend and she died over a year ago."

"Ah yes, the daughter of Athena. Her mother requested that her soul but moved to the front of the line for judging."

"Was she?" Nico asked. His father shrugged.

"Athena has never asked me for favors, so I saw this as an opportunity to have her in my debt. Her daughter was moved to the front of the line, judged fairly, and I believe she entered the Elysian Fields."

"Percy doesn't know," said Hazel

"Percy doesn't care," Nico replied, looking at his sister. "He loves her, he wants her back."

"I moved the entrance in L.A. after the last time he stumbled in so he'll have look twice as hard to find it, but when he does…" their father smirked, "Well he doesn't have any magic pearls from Poseidon to help him get back out this time."

"No," Hazel whispered, looking horrified.

"Why are you telling us this?" Nico asked angrily. Hades held his gaze for a while to the point where it became uncomfortable.

"He's your friend, isn't he? I thought perhaps you'd want to stop him. Make no mistake, if he enters the underworld he will not leave."

"You know, don't you?" Nico's head bent, his hair hiding his face. The grip he had on Hazel's bed post left his knuckle white. "You know how I feel…about Percy?" Hades said nothing at first, just stared at his son, watching the reaction. Hazel reached over and took her brother's arm.

"Was it supposed to be a secret? You helped him escape from me when I had him imprisoned, then you championed his cause and persuaded me to join the fight against my father –a good idea—but it was his. We gods do peek in to check on our children every so often."

Hades leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his thighs. "You tried very hard to save him from falling into tartarus. And that promise you made to him just before he was pludged into the pit... I don't think I've ever seen you so focused on accomplishing something that had nothing to do with your sisters unless Percy Jackson was involved." Their father's voice was softer now, but Hazel didn't know what that meant.

"My son," he said leaning back," in love with the son of Poseidon." Nico was so tense now that she could fell the hard cords of muscle under the skin of his arm. He was almost shaking but she didn't know if it was anger, embarrassment, or sadness.

"Did you come to tell me what a disappointment I am?" Her brother's voice was tight with anger and bitterness.

"Stop!" Hazel jumped up and stood in front of Nico where he sat on the bed. She could feel Nico staring at her back in shock, but she leveled angry eyes at her father, who was looking at her in mild confusion. Rubies, diamonds, and other precious gems started popping up out of the cabin floor and collecting around her feet.

"I don't care if you drag me back to the underworld kicking and screaming. I'm not going to let you treat Nico badly because of how he feels," she firmly.

It was silent in the cabin for what felt like an eternity. They stayed frozen like that –Nico on the bed, Hazel standing defensively in front of him, and Hades sitting in his chair looking amused at being confronted by his daughter.

"Contrary to what seems to be popular belief, I don't enjoy seeing my children suffer," he said, his expression turning almost sad. "Not that it's the business of either of you, but I have had a number of lovers and not all of them female," he said frankly. Then there was silence again.

"Huh?" Hazel said dumbly. Nico took her hand and gently pulled her back down on the bed.

"Oh yes, but I try to keep my private affairs…private," he said. Both of his children were staring at him as if he were a barking cat.

"So why are you angry at Nico?" Demanded Hazel.

"That idiot son of Poseidon is all anyone talks about. My brother boasts of his victories and exploits and now my own son is enamored with him!" Hades stood back up and started pacing again. "It should have been Nico who fulfilled the prophecy!"

"So, you just don't like Percy?" Hazel asked slowly. Their father scoffed.

"I fail to see why everyone considers him so special."

"Maybe because he saved the world, saved Olympus, saved me personally a few times. He's defeated Titans, monsters, giants, and even Ares…" said Nico.

"Not hard to do I assure you," Hades interjected.

"Just like you said, his idea about you helping the Olympians got you the recognition you deserved. He's still humble too. Even after doing all of that he didn't take immortality when the gods offered it and instead used their favor to help other half-bloods. You like the cabin, Dad? Good. It wouldn't be here without Percy. He even found and returned your Helm of Darkness and your sword."

"That he is now trying to steal!" Snapped Hades.

"And you told me when I was little," said Hazel, jumping in, "that a son of Poseidon would save me. He would wash away my curse and I would know peace. Well Percy did it, he saved me from my curse and I did know peace…not for very long but..."

"That's right," said Nico. "He helped Hazel when neither of us could."

"You really think this boy is so worthy?" Hades turned back and looked Nico.

"Yes," he replied without a thought.

"He may not be the person you remember. He is probably mad from grief."

"Will you let me go stop him?" Nico asked, unfazed. Hazel watched them stare at each other and for the first time she saw how much they looked alike. Nico's skin was a bit darker and his hair was thicker with a slight curl but just as pitch black as their father's. They had the same black eyes, but Nico's had none of that mad glint anymore.

"Go. Find him and rescue him if you can, but I would not expect much from him. Love has never been easy for me or mine." He looked at Hazel too when he said that and her heart felt heavy. Hades disappeared in a black fog, leaving them alone and staring at empty space.

"Hazel, I want you to stay here," he said turning to look at her.

"No, I'm going with you!" But Nico looked determined and unmovable.

"You need to stay here and help the others to try to contact Grover and call him off the search. I think I need to do this alone and I think Dad knew."

She wanted to argue but that wouldn't help anything. More diamonds appeared, practically spilling out from under her bed. He smiled at her and pushed her curly hair behind her ear.

"Don't be nervous. I'll be fine."

"I just don't want you two to hurt each other," she said sadly.

"Hopefully it won't come to that. I think I have an idea of how to stop him."

* * *

Nico left in the middle of the night. He didn't tell anyone where he was going. He wasn't use to letting people know when he decided to leave, besides Hazel could tell them. He also took Mrs. O'Leary. The giant hellhound was so happy to see him that she tackled him and soaked his shirt drool. She was even happier when he told her they were going to find Percy, her owner. They traveled to L.A. in an instant and Nico could immediately feel where the door was. He didn't know where Percy was, but the entrance seemed undisturbed.

"Come on girl," he said, patting her on the side. She was tired after shadow traveling but Nico needed to find the perfect spot. They walked around, consciously avoiding the Lotus Hotel. He wasn't afraid of the monsters roaming around with Mrs. O'Leary and the mortals probably only saw a teen with a regular sized black dog through the mist. Eventually he found an empty park that would work for him. He told Mrs. O'Leary to stay and ran off to find what he needed at a convenience store.

He moved fast, still keeping his feelers out for any activity at the entrance. He was probably rude to the clerk working behind the counter at the store but he didn't care. He paid and jogged back to the park. Mrs. O'Leary was chewing on the monkey bars when he came around the corner but she stopped swished her tail when she saw him.

"Okay, girl. Can you smell Percy?" Mrs. O'Leary barked and he took that for a yes.

"Can you go find him and bring him back here?" He ripped open a bag of doggie treats he'd bought at the store. They were hilariously small but that's why he bought two whole bags. He scratched under her chin until she opened her mouth and then he dumped the whole bag on her tongue.

"Find Percy and I'll give you the other bag." She barked happily and bounded off. Nico watched her go and then walked over to sit on a bench. He was anxious. He didn't know what to expect and all he could do was hope his plan worked. For a while he sat there with his head thrown back looking up at the sky. Only Hazel knew, but Nico like to star gaze. It was why he and Hazel sat on the roof of the Pluto shrine so much at Camp Jupiter. Usually he would find constellations and point them out to Hazel but right now he could barely see anything through all the light and air pollution.

Finally, he heard Mrs. O'Leary bark and shot to his feet. At first he only saw her sitting in front of him with her tongue out and tail swishing looking expectantly at him. He was about to tell her there would be no treats until she found Percy when someone came around the corner.

Nico had imagined how this conversation would start but he couldn't seem to open his mouth. Percy was…different. There weren't many changes physically but he looked like a whole different person. His aura was stronger, more intimidating, his shoulders were broader, but that might be the armor. He wore two lamellar arm cuffs studded with small celestial bronze spikes down the arm. They were secured under opposite arm pits so the leather straps crisscrossed his chest and Riptide glittered in his hand. Other than the leather armor, he wore jeans and a plain green t-shirt. His hair was shaggier and the shirt made his sea-green eyes stand out but there was nothing of the old Percy in those eyes. They were cold and hard like steel and Nico's hand flexed. He didn't want to draw his sword and start a fight but it might go that way after all.

"Percy," he said cautiously. Percy looked around the park but didn't answer.

"Percy?" He tried again. "I need to talk to you."

"Where is it?" Percy's voice was detached, almost like he was just thinking out loud.

"Do you mean the entrance?" He looked at Nico then, that cold sea water gaze fixed on him like a target.

"You know where it is," he stated. "I followed Mrs. O'Leary thinking since she's hellhound…but she brought me to you and you would know where it is for sure." He looked at Nico like he was an object to be used –a door detector.

"I'm not taking you there Percy." Nico wished he felt as confident as he sounded.

"Then we're done here." Percy turned to leave and Nico ran forward, still leaving a large amount of space between himself and the son of Poseidon.

"Percy wait! You have to stop! My father said that if you enter the underworld again, you won't leave this time!"

"I'm getting her back." He said firmly and still walking away. Nico was starting to panic. He had to stop Percy or he might not be able to make this plan work.

"I wonder what Annabeth would say if she saw you! She would be ashamed!" Percy stopped walking but didn't turn around.

"Go away, Nico," he said dangerously.

"What? Is the big bad son of the sea god afraid of the truth? She would be ashamed of you! **I'm** ashamed of you! When I first met you I thought you were a hero! I bet Annabeth thought the same thing. We looked up to you! Everybody did!"

"I didn't ask for any of that!" He roared, still standing there facing the opposite direction. Nico could see the muscles tensing in his back but he pressed on.

"How do you expect to free her? You're not a god Percy! The monster slaying, and now this? It's a suicide mission! That's the truth, isn't? You've just been trying to die for the last year! It's not about Annabeth anymore, it's about you!"

"_Shut up!_" Percy whirled around and charged at him like a freight train. Thank the gods for Jason. Those ass-kickings in the sword arena came in handy. Nico had never been very strong but the last year he'd grown four inches and put on weight. His muscles weren't as exercised as Percy's but he didn't die from the first blow so there was that.

Percy's attacks were furious and it was all he could do to block the blows. One close call nearly let Percy slit him open from his left shoulder to his right hip. He knew he had to do something. Nico concentrated and the grass started to die where ever he stepped. Finally the ground cracked open and undead soldiers came crawling out. Percy was still trying to plant his sword in Nico but now the dead were swarming him from behind. He to turn around to hack at them with Riptide, which gave Nico a chance to concentrate. He called more dead warriors up from the earth.

"Restrain him!" Nico ordered. "You four!" He pointed at four of the zombies, "start digging! Quickly!" As they set to work, Nico turned his attention back to Percy. It was a horrifying sight, even for the son of Hades. Percy was a berserker slashing away at the undead swarming over him. His eyes were wild and he howled in rage. Nico kept calling them, and his forehead was beginning to sweat. Mrs. O'Leary whined in distress as she watched.

"No girl! Stay!" Nico told her. He looked over at the diggers and nearly cried in relief.

"That's good enough, go help them!" Nico ran to the park bench and grabbed the convenience store bag and pulled out a two-liter of coke. He opened the bottle and began to pour it into the ditch.

"Let the dead taste again," he said frantically. "Let them rise and take this offering. Let them remember." He opened a bag of chips and dumped them in. He could see the dead were finally overwhelming Percy and began the ancient chant. The night got thicker around them, bugs stopped chirping and the soda began to froth and bubble in the hole. Mist was beginning to form on the edges of his vision. When he did this before he was still just getting use to his powers and had no precision. He would call large groups of souls by accident but now he was older and in more control. "Annabeth appear!" He cried. A geyser of water erupted on the sidewalk. Percy had found a hydrant and was bending the liquid like a water cannon to shoot the dead off of him. Nico didn't know if Percy even realized what was going on or if he was just in a rage, but he started to chant harder.

Finally a silvery spirit floated forward. Spirits from Elysium were lighter because of the peaceful place they went to. They were freed of their burdens but he was bringing Annabeth back to deal with one. The spirit knelt and drank from the hole and Annabeth solidified right before a strong shot of water blasted Nico in chest. He was knocked back several feet and came up soaking wet. His chest was already sore where the water had hit him. Percy had washed all the dead warriors off of him, they were lying in pieces around his feet, but trying to reform. But he didn't care because his eyes were locked on Annabeth's ghost. She looked the same as she had when she died –minus the blood or wound. She was wearing jeans and a camp t-shirt and her curly hair was in a ponytail.

"Percy, what are you doing?" Annabeth looked at him with such sad love in her eyes.

"Annabeth…" It sounded like Percy was choking on his emotions. He walked over to her –sword point dragging on the ground until he lost his grip and dropped it.

"Percy, please stop," Annabeth said sadly.

"No, Annabeth I'm so close," he assured her. "I'll get the sword from Hades and bring you back and we can be together. We can move to New Rome and- "

"No, Percy," she said. "You can't do this. You know that."

"But why?" Percy looked at her pleadingly. "It's not fair! We went through so much! We saved the world, we fell into tartarus and came out! Why can't we just be together?" He was crying. Tears streamed down his face and he didn't bother to wipe them away. Nico felt a tear run down his cheek too. He hated seeing Percy hurt like this but it was the only thing that would stop him.

"I know you don't understand, I know," she said, soothingly. "I don't know how to explain it. In death there's such clarity. Our love was real, Percy, but it was never meant to last."

"What?"

"We were together for as long as we needed to be. Long enough for you become a true hero and do everything you did."

"That makes no sense!" He cried.

"Doesn't it? I was there to help you –wisdom's daughter. I was meant to guide you and then we fell in love and that pushed you the rest of the way. Would you have done everything you did on Mount Tam if I hadn't been kidnapped? What about the battle with Kronos? I activated the statues and you did the rest. We were a great team."

"I-"

"And turning down immortality?" She pressed. "I remember that day and I could barely stand there thinking you were going to leave me and live as a god on Olympus. You stayed for me. You told me that."

"Yes," he croaked.

"Gods are not allowed direct interference. We didn't know it at the time, we thought it was just our love, but when you refused immortality that allowed you to stay active in the war against Gaea. We fell into tartarus and closed the doors of death because we were **together**. Percy can't you see? It was fate, destiny. We met for a reason, **loved** for a reason and once that was over…"

"Then why am I still here?" He asked desperately. "Why only take you? Why rip you away and leave me here?"

"Because you have one last thing to do," she said calmly.

"What?"

"Be happy," she said smiling.

"How can I be happy without you?" He asked miserably.

"You'll find a way," she promised. "And when you do, don't you dare let my memory hold you back. I want you to be happy, Percy Jackson, so that when you come to Elysium, you come with no regrets and a great story to tell me." She turned toward Nico and Percy was still staring at her like he wanted nothing more than to kidnap her spirit.

"I'm sorry, Nico. He can be so stubborn but he means well."

"It's okay, I'm just glad it's over."

"Take care of him for me?" Nico stared at her and Annabeth smiled and turned back to Percy.

"I love you, Seaweed brain. Remember what I've said." Annabeth faded away and Percy dropped to his knees. Her words hurt Nico as well as they were almost identical to what Bianca's spirit said to him. The mist dissipated and the sounds of world flooded back in. Nico was about to relax when Percy yelled –the sound of a wretched man with nothing left. For over a year getting Annabeth back had been his mission, his only comforting thought and now it was gone. Percy pounded the ground with his fists and cried and Nico walked toward him slowly.

The bones of the dead warriors sank back into the earth. The water from hydrant had slowed and the sun was peeking over the buildings. Nico knelt down and put his hands on Percy's shoulders –mindful of the bronze spikes.

"Percy? Percy, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about what I said before, I didn't mean it. And I'm sorry I had to call Annabeth."

He wasn't sure if Percy could hear him over his own broken sobs but he apologized over and over again. And then he sat on the ground in front of him and waited for him to calm down, just like Percy had done for him during that conversation in front of the lake.

* * *

"So he just left?" Asked Piper.

They were all gathered on the porch of the big house Piper, Jason, Leo, Hazel, and himself. Chiron was in his magical wheelchair but the rest of them were standing. Nico had asked to have an impromptu meeting with all of them, mostly because he only wanted to tell this story once. He'd shadow traveled Mrs. O'Leary back late that morning and he was exhausted after getting no sleep, fighting, summoning so many dead, and calling Annabeth's spirit. He just wanted a nap.

"Yeah, he said I was going to go visit his mom and then Tyson maybe, but I think he just needs time to accept what Annabeth said." They nodded with glum expressions. He could feel Hazel and Jason looking at him.

"You did well Nico," said Chiron. "Go rest now. I will tell Grover what happened when he arrives."

Back in the cabin he only managed a few hours of sleep so he just stayed in bed staring at the ceiling. Hazel stayed out and he knew she was giving him space but the sun began to set she didn't come back to wait for the dinner gong. It was only a few hours that she came, tray in hand, and shut the door.

"Hey," she said quietly.

"Hey," he answered back. He sat up and she put the tray in his lap. The smell of brisket wafted to his nose and he attacked. Hazel went to her bed, pulled out her sketch book and colored pencils and started drawing. The fact that she wasn't pushing him to talk made him want to talk, that's how it was with them.

"He didn't just leave," Nico said, still stuffing his mouth. Hazel lowered her pencil and looked at him.

"It took him a while but he calmed down and we talked," he shrugged.

"About?"

"I mean at first we just sat there for a while. He was kind of…" Nico sighed. "I don't even have a word for it, but he started to talk eventually. He was still angry. I could relate, you know? After Bianca's death I went through the same thing, the same anger and I told him that I remember how hard he tried to reach out to me so I knew I had to try with him. He said he wanted to go tell his mom and step-dad he was alright and then be alone," Nico said sadly.

"Nico, you did your best and you stopped him, I mean at least from killing himself," she said.

"Yeah," he said without feeling.

"I was half afraid that when I got back, you would be gone," she confessed.

"Gone where? Camp Jupiter? The underworld to hear Dad tell me 'I told you so'?"

"Just gone," she said.

"I'm not leaving you Hazel." He smiled at her and she grinned back.

"Good," she sighed and at went back to drawing.

* * *

"Are you happy here?" He asked her the next morning at breakfast. Hazel put down her chocolate milk and looked at him. He was eating a pomegranate, popping the seeds out of the rind and sucking the juice out before spitting out the pit. They were the fruit of the underworld and helped him regain his strength whenever his power taxed him. Nico had been in a good mood since he woke up that morning. He was even nice to Grover who ran up to them as they were walking to the dining pavilion to hug Nico and thank him for stopping Percy.

"Yeah," she said slowly.

"Do you wanna stay?"

"Do **you** want to stay?" She asked. Nico sighed, rolled his eyes and smiled at her.

"Hazel, it's okay." His smiled relaxed her.

"I wanna stay," she said.

"Alright then, we're staying," he said brightly. For a moment she was taken aback but he looked so happy that she didn't question it.

"We need to tell Reyna and get the rest of our stuff," he said biting into another red seed.

"Do you want to do that today?"

"Sure, why not?"

Hazel was one hundred percent sure that her brother had been switched with another one that looked just like him sometime in the night. Who was this energetic boy sitting across from her? She hoped he wouldn't be too down after dealing with Percy but this was too much in the other direction. Something was not right. She left it alone though and continued to watch him throughout the day. Chiron was delighted they would be staying and he helped them contact Reyna, who was a little let down by the news, but good natured about it. Mr. D only rolled his eyes and went back to his wine magazine.

They shadow traveled to Camp Jupiter, just outside of the border. The plan was to gather their stuff, get it tied together somehow and Nico would shadow travel it back. Moving was easy when your brother was the son of Hades. They went to see Reyna first. Hazel felt like Reyna deserved to know what happened with Percy and Nico couldn't argue with her. They both knew that Reyna respected Percy, and had a crush on him at some time in the past. Retelling the story was the only time Nico's new happy attitude dipped.

"Trying to steal the sword of Pluto…" Reyna shook her head in disbelief. "Annabeth's death was hard for all of us, but I never thought he would go so far," she sighed. "It's understandable that Percy would need to be alone. I'm glad you were there to stop him." Nico only nodded. Reyna leaned back in her chair and looked at him sympathetically.

"Well, you two will come back and visit, right?" She asked.

"Of course," Hazel said. "This is my home camp after all."

"You bet," Nico said smiling.

Reyna dismissed them and they headed for the fifth cohort barracks where their stuff was. On the way there they ran into Jessica heading for patrol duty. When Hazel spotted her, she had an instant thought of _"Oh no…"_ she looked over and Nico was as unresponsive as ever. Hazel was on the ground before she even knew what happened. Nico bent down to help her and when they both looked back a raw emerald the size of a softball had tripped her.

"Well, I thought we were done with that…" Nico said looking at the emerald.

"I guess we're both surprised," she said. Jessica rushed over and helped her up.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's alright, I'll get rid of that." Hazel turned around and focused on the gem stone but she tried to direct Jessica's attention.

"Hey Jessica," said Hazel.

"Hi!" Jessica answered. Nico gave her a little nod but didn't speak.

"So, I guess you heard we're moving to Camp Half-Blood?"

"Really? Like for good?" Jessica's voice was full of disappointment.

"Yeah, but you should come visit, you know, meet your Greek siblings." Hazel buried the emerald and turned around just in time to see Jessica smile.

"That sounds cool!" She said with that thousand watt smile. They said good-bye and Hazel walked with Nico to the barracks without a word.

The fifth cohort barracks would be empty now but it couldn't be helped. They had lost so many in the battle against Gaea that all the cohorts were at less than half their normal size. Hazel and Nico packed in silence until it became too frustrating for her.

"Are you going to explain what has you so happy?" She asked innocently.

"Moving back to camp I guess," he replied.

"Nothing else? Because this is kind of a weird jump from last night…"

"I wanna be over him, Hazel," he said suddenly. "Seeing him again I think it helped a little. I can't explain but maybe I can close the book now. He's gone. He might never come back and even if he does…" She was staring at his back and he didn't turn to face her –just bent down to pick up another sock and throw it into a bag.

"Do you think it's possible to force yourself to be happy?" He asked. Hazel thought about Frank and looked down at her feet quickly.

"I think maybe you have to be at a place where you really want it and then you just go after it." They went back to packing in silence.

* * *

Back at camp Nico threw himself into activities again. He started helping Jason teach sword fighting to new demi-gods. His socializing got better, at least with people he already knew. He even got loose enough to joke around with Leo more. Hazel was supportive and he could see she was starting to form her own little group of friends with the children of Apollo. He'd even resisted the urge to call forth the death and have Connor Stoll dragged to the underworld when he caught him flirting with Hazel one day. He felt better when she told him how she'd turned down the son of Hermes.

He got a surprise party –his first ever- for his sixteenth birthday. Both Hazel and Piper claimed credit for the decorations and the cake which was strawberry flavored, covered in black fondant and little white fondant skulls. It reminded him of the day he turned up at Percy's birthday but he pushed that thought away and tried to have fun. Grover tried to make them play a reverse game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey where a donkey tries to pin a tail on you, but they settled for a mini-game of capture the flag.

One day he was walking back from the sword fighting arena with Jason when Piper ran up from behind. Piper threw her arms around both of their shoulders.

"So Nico, as one of your close friends and the daughter of Aphrodite I guess –she rolled her eyes- I feel I need to inform you that someone has a crush on you!"

He balked at her. "What?"

"Who?" Jason asked.

"I'm not sure I should tell. Actually, I'm not very sure if it's true because I didn't hear it myself."

"Who did you hear it from?" Nico asked seriously. Old paranoia was starting to creep back in, an anxious feeling that bloomed in his stomach when people –who weren't Hazel or even Jason- got too close to subject of his non-existent love life.

"Well Blaine said he heard one of the Demeter girls say you were cute," she laughed. Blaine was one of her half-brothers, a son of Aphrodite.

"I'm sure her mother would be thrilled about that," replied Jason.

"Apparently one of her other sisters shushed her and told her to remember what happens when you date someone from the underworld," continued Piper.

"Yeah exactly," mumbled Nico.

"Ah, come on Nico!" Piper was still between them but her arm was only around Nico now. "Don't let that stop you! You know it's probably just their mother still angry about your Dad and Persephone. We could show them you're different!"

"Piper…" Jason said, trying to call her off.

"What?" She asked defensively. Then she turned back to Nico. "You've got to move on, Nico," she said gently. He stopped and stared at Jason in horror and betrayal.

"You told her!" He accused. Jason threw his hands up in surrender.

"I didn't!"

"I already knew!" Piper jumped between them.

"You knew?" Nico said in confusion.

"Yes! I'm the one that told Jason!" Nico looked passed Piper and saw that Jason was just perplexed as him.

"Piper, what are you talking about?" Jason asked.

"About Nico and Annabeth!" She hissed at him as if she could not believe he was forcing her to spell it out.

"Oh, sweet Elysian Fields…" Jason covered his face with his hands. Nico turned away from both of them with his fists clenched and Piper just stared at them both in shock.

"Nico, it's okay! Everyone kind of knew," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"No, Piper," he said turning around. Jason finally dropped his hands and looked at Nico. He knew the look was a question, _"Well? Are you going to?"_ Nico sighed and looked away from them. He felt better knowing Jason had kept his secret, even from his girlfriend. He liked Piper and wanted to trust her…

"Hey, let's just drop it," Jason said.

"No, it's okay," said Nico. "Can we go sit down?" Jason's eyebrows flew up so far that Nico thought they would disappear.

"You sure?" Jason asked and Nico nodded.

"Somebody please tell me what's going on," she said looking a little angry.

They sat on the stone bleachers around the camp fire. Lady Hestia was there tending the flames as she did from time to time and Nico greeted her like he did every time he saw her. He sometimes thought she was the only Olympian who understood him, even more than his father. Jason and Piper spoke to her too and then they sat down with Piper between them. Her eyes got so wide when he told her it almost made him laugh.

"Oh my gods…" she said in astonishment. At first he thought he'd a made a mistake in telling her, that she was repulsed, and then she threw her arms around his neck.

"Nico! I'm such an idiot! I should have known! I'm such a bad friend!" Nico patted her back awkwardly. He was hoping Jason would pry his girlfriend off but he was too busy watching and laughing quietly. Piper finally pulled back but she kept a grip on his shoulders and was looking at him like she'd never seen him before. Her kaleidoscope eyes only a few inches from his.

"Nico, how could you think we would judge you?"

"I was just…" he began.

"Even if Aphrodite wasn't my mom, I still think love is love!" It was a sweet sentiment but it made him sad.

"Even one-sided love I guess," he said.

"Nico…"

"No, it's okay. I'm trying to get over it," he said, pulling away from her.

Jason jumped in and changed the subject and Nico was grateful. He felt better that Piper knew. It made him feel more comfortable around her. Piper also promised to squash any rumors of this crush her half-siblings were telling and he counted that as a win.

* * *

"I can't believe you told her!" Hazel was grinning from ear to ear.

"Yeah her reaction was actually better than I expected," he said. He was smiling too, probably because his sister's smile was so infectious. She was sitting her bed and it was dark in the cabin expect for her bedside lamp that she used to "night-draw". The lamp light made her gold eyes twinkle, or that could have been her good mood.

"I told you Piper wouldn't have a problem with you," she said smugly. Nico rolled his eyes but he was still smiling at her.

"Yes, okay you were right."

"I'm happy you're trying to trust more people," she said looking a little more serious.

"I'm still not ready to announce it to the world," he said.

"That's okay, it's not the world's business as long you have us." He would never be able to explain how happy he was to have Hazel. He rarely longed for Bianca anymore –though he still loved her. It made him hopeful that he would eventually move on from Percy too.

"What are you drawing?" She hopped out of bed and walked over to him –her pink and white PJs looking completely out of place in the nearly all black interior of the cabin. She sat down next to him and he put his on her shoulder and watched her draw an aerial view of Camp Half-Blood.

"It's what I see when I'm on Banana."

"Aren't you cheating on Arion?"

"No!" She yelled indignantly. "But you better not tell him, okay?" They laughed and then lapsed into a thoughtful silence as he watched her draw.

* * *

The next day Chiron called him and Hazel to the big house and when they got there Nico nearly swallowed his tongue. It was Jessica. She was standing on the porch with Chiron and Mr. D was sitting behind them at a table setting up for a game of pinochle. Jessica waved at them excitedly but only Hazel waved back.

"Nico, Hazel I understand that this young lady knows you both?" Asked Chiron.

"Yeah," said Hazel, "Jess, I can't believe you came!"

"Well, you guys make this place sound so exciting and it looks great! Very outdoorsy!" She grinned and Mr. D scoffed but they all ignored him.

"I was going to have one of Demeter's children show her around since they are related but Miss Daniels asked for the both of you." Chiron looked as if Jessica's enthusiasm was wearing him down.

"I hope that's okay?" Jessica asked looking at them with mild concern.

"It's fine," Hazel said smiling. "Come on we'll start the tour!"

"Yes, do run along. Your chatter is enough to drive a god to drink," droned Mr. D as he manifested a can of diet coke.

Jessica followed them off of the porch and down the walkway. Nico felt like running and he knew Hazel could sense it, she was side-eyeing him every chance she got. They showed Jess the dining pavilion, the archery field –which got Hazel excited—and when they came to the sword fighting arena Jason was teaching.

"Usually Nico teaches here too," said Hazel.

"Really?" Asked Jessica, bouncing onto the balls of her feet.

"Yeah," Nico replied, blushing slightly. Jason waved and walked over and he hugged Jessica.

"Jess! What got you over on the Greek side?" He asked. Jessica blushed a little and Nico saw Hazel choke back a laugh.

"It was Hazel's idea," said Jessica hastily. "She thought I should come for a visit."

"Well you stole my best student," Jason said, playfully shoving Nico.

"Student? Chiron promoted me to assistant teacher too," he said.

"You still got a lot to learn," Jason said in mock arrogance.

"Well why don't you two show us what you got?" Said Hazel. Jessica was giggling and maybe that did it. Maybe in that moment he was kind of getting off on the fact that this girl was excited for him. Jason was his friend but Jason was also the son of Jupiter and Nico was used to watching people stare in awe at everything Jason did, especially since Percy wasn't around to show him up. But right then, Jessica was looking at Nico like he –the son of the most excluded of the gods- was the golden boy. He liked it. And so he smirked at Jason.

"You up for it?" Jason looked surprised but eager. He spared a quick, curious glance at Jess and then tossed Nico his sword.

"Let's do it!"

They sparred until nearly sunset with Nico winning five out of seven times and the last matching being a draw. He left Hazel to show Jessica to the Demeter cabin and ran off to shower. At dinner Jessica kept glancing over at him, he didn't need to turn around, he could feel it. She was sitting with her cabin-mates and they were probably discussing gardening or something but he could feel her looking.

"I think you've got a fan," laughed Hazel. He just laughed at her and kept eating.

* * *

For next few days Jessica showed up at the sword fighting arena saying she wanted to learn. He was beginning to think he's momentary surrender to ego had created a stalker.

"Didn't you tell me that you once shadow travelled to Percy's apartment and was waiting for him on his fire escape?" Hazel was sitting on her bed, giving him a knowing smile.

"That was one time and it was just to discuss the Titan problem," He was laying back on his bed with an arm flung over his eyes.

"Which turned into you staying for cake and ice cream with his whole family." He didn't need to see his sister to know her smile was even wider now.

"The cake was blue," he said randomly. "It's his and his mom's favorite color, mostly because it would piss off his ex-step-father, so they like blue food. His mom even bakes blue cookies. He told me." Without him meaning to, his voice turned sad. He could hear Hazel moving and then her weight settled on the bed next to him. She moved his arm off of his face and kissed his forehead through his mop of lazy black curls.

"If it makes you feel any better I'm sure Jessica will give up eventually."

* * *

That might have worked if Jessica was not around him every time she got the chance. She was there at the sword fighting arena and then she would hang around him any other time, asking a thousand questions about the camp, discussing how the two camps were different, how she was getting on with her Greek siblings, etc. And Nico didn't have the heart to shake her off. He knew she'd come all the way across the country to a camp she didn't know just to be near him. To be honest, she was starting to work her way under his skin…and not in a bad way. She was nice, she wasn't freaked by his aura his pale skin or his eyes. And just the thought that someone, anyone, was actually attracted to him was a strange new sensation. So he kept hanging out with her and the other Demeter children kept looking on in incredulity.

"Soooo you've been hanging out with Jessica a lot."

"Kind of," he said, kicking a pebble out of his path.

"That's cool," Jason said lightly.

"I think it's harmless," he said, running a hand through his hair.

"Does she?"

"I don't know," Nico said shrugging.

"If you like her, that's great, but you don't wanna lead her on do you?"

"No," he sighed.

"Okay, that's as far as me butting in goes," concluded Jason.

"Do you know what Chiron called us for?" There was note on their doors when they woke up that morning. At first Nico thought it was a meeting for all the cabin consolers but not everyone got a note. It seems only He, Jason, Piper, and Leo were called and they just happened to be cabin consolers.

"Maybe another girl followed you home?" Jason took off in a run and Nico chased him all the way to the big house. They stumbled into the front room of the big house out of breath and laughing, but it died in Nico's throat. Everyone else was already there. They turned around when Nico and Jason came in and standing in the center was Percy Jackson. Grover was hanging on him, crying and bleating, Leo was grinning, Piper was teary-eyed and smiling, and Nico felt like all his bones had shadow travelled away without him.

"Hey guys," he said. Jason smiled big, walked over and pulled Percy out Grover's grip and into a bro-hug. Nico stayed rooted to the spot. When Jason let go everyone looked at Nico expectantly and it became awkward.

"Hey," he said mildly. Percy looked uneasy too and managed another "hey".

"So are you back, man?" Leo asked.

"Uh yeah, at least for a little while," Percy replied.

Percy moved back into cabin three and word ran through camp like Greek fire. _"Percy Jackson is back!" "Did you hear? Percy's back!"_ and when the younger demi-gods asked, "Who is Percy Jackson" they were treated to excitedly told stories of some of Percy's finest heroics. Percy sat alone at the Poseidon table but he was still the center of attention. Everyone whispered about him and if it was annoying to Nico, he could only imagine how Percy felt. The only ones not caught up in the excitement were the Ares kids and Nico. His stomach felt full of pterodactyls and he couldn't be still. It was almost as if Percy being back was triggering his ADHD, which he thought he'd learned to control.

"It is," Hazel said that night. "You're nervous, probably bordering on fear and it's putting you into fight or flight mode which it is when our battle senses kick in."

"You should really think about going into Psychology," he said.

"Hmm maybe," she shrugged. "It's okay, Nico. You can handle this."

"He's been gone for almost eight months since L.A. Why is he back now?" His foot was bouncing up and down and he forced himself to stop.

"Maybe he's okay now," she replied.

"Yeah," said Nico with his voice full of doubt.

The next day at sword fighting Jessica showed up as usual but so did Percy and he sat down on the arena benches and watched and that only made Nico more nervous. He succeeded in not embarrassing himself but he still couldn't wait to get out of there when practice ended. Jessica tried to corner him but he side-stepped her only to run into Percy who had come down from the benches without Nico noticing.

"Can I talk to you?" Percy asked.

"Yeah, sure," he said trying to sound normal. Nico saw Jason looking at them but he turned away quickly and went back to his task of putting the weapons away. Percy led Nico on a walk around the arena. It was probably perfect since everyone was clearing out anyway.

"Nico, I just wanted to say sorry. Back in L.A. I- I wasn't thinking and I could have hurt you," he said sadly.

"Honestly, it's no big deal Percy." Nico looked at his own feet as they walked. His hands were shoved into his pockets and all his emotional walls were back up.

"No, I just feel bad for putting you in that position," Percy went on.

"You didn't. I volunteered to go alone. In fact, no one here knew what happened until it was over." Percy stopped walking and looked at him.

"I just- I knew what you were going through," Nico said quickly. He didn't want whatever romantic feelings he may or may not have had or still have to factor in. "I mean after Bianca you just kept trying to help me and I would have felt bad if I hadn't tried to do the same." Percy actually looked relieved.

"Thanks. That was just eating at me this whole time." They started walking again and Percy was looking around the camp with little smile.

"So where did you go?" Nico asked out of curiosity.

"I went home for a little while because my mom was worried, but I couldn't stay there because monsters would keep attacking. I went under water for a while visiting Tyson. He wasn't handling Annabeth's death very well either. Big guy cried a lot. I went to see my Dad but my step-mom and half-brother doesn't like me very much and it was getting tense for my Dad so I didn't stay long there either."

Nico could sympathize. Whenever he'd been in the underworld at the same time as Persephone he spent most of the time in his room and listening to his father apologize about him. He didn't feel too bad though because this is how it was for most demi-gods, especially for him, Percy, Jason, and even Thalia. It was one thing the children of the big three would always have in common; they were products of adultery and betrayal.

"So my Dad rented out a beach house for me," said Percy.

"Really?" Nico immediately decided that Percy won the Dad contest, evil step-mom or not.

"Yeah it was the beach house where he met my mom. She and I used to rent it whenever she could scrape together enough money. It's actually where my first monster attack happened. But anyway, My Dad said he would pay for it as long as I needed it. I think he just knew. I mean he knew Annabeth was gone, but I think he knew I just wasn't okay. The house is right on the beach so he was able to put some protection over it. Nothing big ever tried to attack so it worked."

"So why did you leave? That sounds like a pretty nice set-up."

Percy shrugged. "I guess I got better enough that I went from wanting to be alone to being lonely. And I kept thinking about what Annabeth said, how she wanted me to be happy and I was always happiest here." They walked in silence for a little while and Nico started to feel a little less nervous.

"So you're helping Jason teach sword fighting?"

"Yeah, Chiron kind of had to promote me because Jason and I were sparring every day," Nico said with a smile.

"You've gotten better," he said.

"Thanks. You should teach too. I mean the campers would trip all over themselves to take lessons from you." But Percy shrugged

"Maybe…" They looked up and Hazel was waiting on the benches. Percy gave a Hazel a hug since she was the only one he hadn't seen yet.

"How are you?" Hazel asked softly. Percy gave her a sad smile.

"I'm better but I know I'm not the only one who's lost somebody," he looked at her, "I wish I had handled myself more like you." Hazel laughed derisively.

"I was a useless mess of tears for months," she said, mirroring his sad smile. "It was Nico who helped me through it."

"Then I guess he saved both of us." They looked at Nico and he blushed.

"I'm going to go shower before the dinner gong," he said.

"Yeah, I was going to go visit the Athena cabin and ask Malcolm how things are going. He's working on some projects Annabeth left unfinished."

They went their separate ways –Nico telling Hazel he would see her at the cabin. Dinner proceeded as usual. They burned half their meal for the gods but at least the awe-filled whispering about Percy had died down some. He looked more at ease after visiting the Athena cabin. When dinner was over and they went back to cabin thirteen, Hazel didn't push him. She didn't ask what he and Percy talked about. Instead they talked about Jessica.

"She's nice," Nico admitted. "I just don't see this going anywhere and I don't know how to tell her that since she's never come out and asked me anything."

"I'm sorry. I should have known better than to invite her here," said Hazel.

"No, she would have come anyway eventually. I'm sure of it."

"This is a pretty delicate problem. I know I'm a girl, but I got nothing." That made him laugh.

"When is her visit over? I mean she's not staying…is she?"

"My guess would be that she's staying until something happens between you two."

"Great," he sighed.

Nico couldn't confront Jessica about her feelings, that seemed cruel even to him, so he started to avoid her. With the exception of his sword fighting training, he tried to be where she wouldn't be looking. He went on a lot of walks through the woods and it was on one of these walks that he ran into Percy and Mrs. O'Leary. The giant hellhound was romping around and irritating the wood nymphs by sniffing at their trees and bushes.

"Hey," Percy said when he saw him.

"Hey," Nico replied. "Walking Mrs. O'Leary?" In that moment he truly thought he was an idiot because it was obvious that Percy was walking the dog.

"Yeah, Grover and Juniper are having an argument somewhere in here about him going back to his work of saving the wild places and I thought I needed to be close in case Juniper started to kick his butt." They both laughed and Nico started nudging twigs with his feet.

"What about you?" Percy asked.

"Oh, I'm just…walking," he shrugged.

"Wanna help me keep an ear out for Satyr distress?"

"Sure," he said.

They walked through the woods and talked about nothing in particular, how Percy was settling back into camp, and they both laughed at how he had somehow become a camp legend.

"It's ridiculous," said Percy with a smile.

"Nah, you deserve it," Nico said, smiling too.

"I'm not the only one who did heroic things," Percy protested. "I would have gotten nowhere without you guys. Nico, come one, you shadow travelled yourself, Reyna, Coach Hedge, and a giant Athena Parthenos across the world!"

"Yeah…" Nico blushed.

"And you led everyone to the doors of death, just like you promised," continued Percy.

"You've already thanked me for that," said Nico.

"Seriously Nico, you've done great things. I remember back in the labyrinth when I saw your powers for the first time. You never get the recognition you deserve and I hate it. I told Hera that."

"Hera?" Nico asked confusion.

"Yeah it wasn't until we got out of there and you'd left again that Hera appeared and admitted that she was the one who paid Greyon to let the rest of us through the ranch but she didn't bother to think about you. It's the reason Hera was always jinxing Annabeth, we both yelled at her and told her she was wrong for that."

Nico remembered how Percy had complimented him in the labyrinth every time he helped them with his powers. It was true. Percy had always been accepting of Nico when everyone else wasn't.

"You didn't need to do that. Hera was right, I don't really belong," he said, echoing his old thoughts.

"You've proved her wrong, Nico, not me. Look at you now, you do belong here." The honesty in Percy's eyes was almost painful and he chose not to say anything. They just walked in silence until Mrs. O'Leary lifted her leg on a tree and they had to save her from a nymph.

* * *

"You know," said Hazel as they walked back to their cabin, "you've got pretty good taste in guys." Nico turned beat red and stared at his sister, who was looking pretty unfazed by her brother's embarrassment.

"Yeah," she went on, "I mean Percy really never minded who your father is or any of that other stuff people give us crap for. And from what you're telling me, he thinks you're great!"

"Which you are," she added.

"Still pointless," he grumbled.

"Don't be mad, Nico, I'm just giving you a compliment."

"Let's just walk faster before Jessica spots us."

* * *

Percy started participating in sword fighting practice and Nico paired up with him a lot to avoid pairing up with Jessica. Nico could tell she was started to get agitated because he had been avoiding her for days now.

"That girl keeps looking over here at you," Percy huffed in exertion as their swords clashed.

"I know," Nico grunted as he counter-attacked.

"Did you do something to her?"

"I've kind of been avoiding her," Nico tried to whisper over the clang of metal on metal.

"She likes you?" Percy smiled and easily blocked Nico's sword.

"I think so. Actually I'm pretty sure," he said lifting his shield to block.

Percy didn't ask any more questions and when practice was over he just went over and helped Jason collect the equipment. Jessica caught Nico immediately before he could disappear.

"Can we talk?" She asked. Nico wanted to say no but he couldn't.

"Okay," he said, looking uneasy. They walked off toward the woods. Nico's defensive body language kicked in. His shoulders slumped and his hands were shoved into the pockets of his black jeans.

"I was thinking," began Jessica, "about how different the two stories of your father's marriage to Proserpina are. In our camp we're told that Pluto abducted her to woo her, sort of like an aggressive marriage proposal," she laughed and he said nothing. "But here, I've been learning that the Greeks believe he raped her first before wooing or offering marriage…"

"I don't really ask about that…" Nico said. He was **so** uncomfortable with this topic.

"Well either way you can understand why my mother would not have the best opinion of Pluto. But I've met Proserpina and she seems happy…what I'm saying is I don't think my mother has been entirely fair to the story. I think she was just angry that her daughter was taken and can't accept that maybe she's happy being away with her husband for those months."

"They seem fine," Nico shrugged.

"Nico, my mother wouldn't like it and her Greek children think I'm…" she laughed a little but didn't say the word. "Anyway, I like you and I wanted to know if you'd want to hang out more?"

He had never felt more like jerk than he did right now. Here was this sweet girl who wanted to date him, who wanted to defy her mother in order to do so and he couldn't even tell her why he was rejecting her.

"Jess, I think you're awesome but I think we should just be friends." Her sad expression was the worst.

"I'm just not into relationships," he said pathetically. Jessica tried to brighten up but the smile that used to come so easily looked forced and heavy.

"That's okay, I understand. I'll see you later okay?" Her eyes were glassy and she didn't wait for an answer. She just turned a jogged out of the woods and he stood there listening to footsteps retreat.

Jessica left camp suddenly the next day and the entire Demeter cabin glared at him whenever he walked past. He didn't get it. They would have hated it if he'd gone out with her and now they hated him because he had rejected her. He spent most of his time in the cabin trying to not to hear all the gossip. Finally Hazel got frustrated and forced him to go on a walk with her. They circled around to the amphitheater and sat down.

"Nico you have to stop feeling so bad about this. She may be hurt right now but at least you didn't just give in and say yes to dating her when you didn't mean it or want it."

"It's not just that…" His head was in his hands and his foot was bouncing again.

"Then what else? Is it the Demeter kids? Because I will-"

"It's me!" He said, sounding wretched.

"I just can't get past it, past him!" His voice echoed in the amphitheater and he dropped his head back into his hands.

"I'm sorry," she said softly and staring in shock at how upset he was about this. "Lets go back to the cabin."

"I can't stay here Hazel." His words stopped her cold.

"What?"

"I can't. I can't go back to Camp Jupiter and face Jessica and I can't stay here and torture myself by seeing him every day. I'm a coward and I know it but I need to leave."

"Leave and go where?" She asked, beginning to panic.

"Back to the underworld for a while maybe. Dad was right. I see why he kidnapped Persephone and tricked her. It was the only way he would ever have her. Well, I can't do that so I'll just be alone."

Hazel spent the rest of the day trying to talk him out of it. That night when he started packing she started crying and insisting she go with him. He refused to let her which led to an argument…

"Why can't I come?" She demanded. She stamped her foot and nuggets of precious jade sprang up on the cabin floor.

"Just because Dad left you alone last time doesn't mean he can't change his mind! You go charging into the underworld and who knows what he'll do! And what if his Greek and Roman personalities ever split? Pluto might let you live but Hades will not!"

"What does it matter if I have to stay if you're going to be there anyway?" Her gold eyes were flashing with anger and gold coins were starting to appear around her as well.

"Because if he has to kill you then you will either go back to the fields of Asphodel or to Elysium and we won't be able to be together anyway!"

"I can't believe you're just leaving me here!" Perfect pearls rolled across the floor.

He didn't know how to make her understand. He didn't **want** to leave her, he hated the thought of leaving her, but he just couldn't risk taking her with him. He could come back to her in a few days but if their father kept her soul down there then there was no coming back.

"Hazel please! You're acting like a baby!"

"Me? Look who's running again!" He knew she didn't mean it, but it hurt anyway. Still, he walked over and pulled her into a hug. At first she didn't respond and then she buried her face in his shoulder and sobbed.

There was a knock on the door and at first he thought the whole camp had heard them arguing. Hazel pulled away and turned her back on the door and started to wipe her face. When Nico walked over and opened it, Percy was standing there. Nico could see him quickly scan the cabin with the treasure on the floor and Hazel very obviously upset standing in the middle of it.

"Hey, this might be a bad time, but can I talk to you?" He asked Nico.

"Umm yeah," he turned to Hazel, "I'll back I promise." She nodded with her back still turned and he walked out to join Percy in the twilight.

They walked to the lake but honestly Nico barely paid any attention. He was anxious to get back and fix things with Hazel. Percy sat down and he flopped onto the ground about a foot away from him. His knee instantly began to bounce but he didn't even try to stop it.

"You and Hazel are fighting?" Percy asked.

"Yeah, she's pretty angry at me so I need to get back," he said pointedly.

"She's angry because you're leaving." It was a statement not a question and Nico's head snapped up to look at him.

"How did you know?"

"Well there was a half-packed bag on your bed but that's not how I knew. I saw Jessica when she ran from the woods, she was crying. And then I didn't see you for a few days so I just guessed what must have happened." Percy was looking at the lake while Nico stared at him.

"Yeah she didn't take it well…" He said referring to Jessica.

"When I saw you and Hazel walking today I wanted to ask if you were all right and you were sitting in the amphitheater when I finally caught up." Nico's stomach dropped into his feet and breathing suddenly became a chore.

"I heard what you said," Percy said quietly. Nico clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

"Well, you don't have to worry about it because I'm leaving." He started to get up and Percy caught his hand.

"What if I don't want you to go?" Percy asked, looking right at him. Nico just looked back at him in shock.

"Nico, do you remember what Annabeth said to me? She said I had to be happy and that I would find a way without her." Percy tugged on his hand gently to get him to sit back down.

Nico sank back onto the ground without a word.

"When I went to see my mom I was still pretty angry and depressed so what she said didn't sink in right away, but she said that there must be somebody else. She said there was no way I couldn't find love again and have a happy ending." He laced his fingers into Nico's and looked at him.

"I came back because…I'm sorry, Nico. I'm sorry it took me so long to see it, to see you." Nico wasn't sure he was hearing right. He just kept staring at Percy's hand in his. He could feel the rough callouses from sword fighting, the solid grip and even Percy's pulse but he still wasn't sure it was real.

"Nico?" Percy called his named and when he looked up, those sea-green eyes were completely focused on him. They were honest and sincere and Nico wanted to drown in them because they were the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"Nico?" Percy called again.

"Yeah?"

"I'm asking if you can forgive me and give me a chance to make it up to you?"

"Percy, I- I don't- What are you asking me?" He finally managed.

Of all the explanations and answers Percy could have given, he chose to lean in give Nico something he'd only ever hoped for, and not often. It was a sweet, chaste kiss. Just the barest of lips pressing but Nico felt like he was dreaming.

When he walked back into the cabin Hazel was bundled up under her covers and he could see her shaking from crying. He couldn't be happy about what just happened at the lake right now. He'd hurt his sister and needed to apologize. After everything that they've been through, he and Hazel had become attached to each other and he should have known better than to threaten her with her worst fear –him leaving her all alone. He just kicked off his shoes and lay down with her. She was still under the covers and he didn't try to make her come out. He just held her like he used to when she was upset about Frank.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm stupid and selfish and I'm sorry."

* * *

Even though Hazel was happy that he was staying, she was still upset the next morning. Her eyes were pink and puffy and the gold in them had dimmed to amber, which made him feel worse.

"You should go be with Percy," she said, still wrapped in her covers like a burrito.

"No, he understands that I need to be with you right now," he said as he smoothed her curly hair back.

"I'm so happy for you," she croaked. Her voice was raw from crying. "You really don't have to stay here with me."

"Then why are you still in bed?" He asked. She looked at him sadly.

"This is bad isn't it?"

"Yeah, but I'm the one who did it to you so I'm not complaining."

"I'll be fine in a little while," she promised.

"You better be or you'll miss archery," he said smiling. "Hazel?"

"Hmm?"

"Will Solace…do you like him?" Her head popped out of the covers and even though her skin should have been too dark to show it, he could see a little blush.

"It's okay, he's better than Connor," conceded Nico.

"I don't know if I like him," she said.

"I'm not pushing you, but I think he likes you. I've seen the way he looks at you. You know Frank would want you to be happy right?" She nodded.

"Okay, just something to think about."

Eventually she did get it out of bed and went to archery and he felt relieved that she had not spent the entire day in bed. But now he couldn't leave. He was excited and afraid after last night. He and Percy still had a lot to talk about but being together meant everyone seeing and knowing. Part of him wanted to say that he didn't give a damn as long as he had Percy, but the other part spoke to him in what he could remember of his mother's voice, _"boys do not speak or feel that way about other boys!"_ Hazel, Jason, Piper, and even his father disagreed and accepted him in spite of it but it nagged at him still.

There was a knock at the door and he just knew it was Percy. Normally at camp you weren't allowed to go into a cabin that wasn't your own, just like sitting at another cabin's table in the dining pavilion but it happened on occasion and no one was around to rat them out so he let Percy in.

"Hey, Hazel told me I needed to be here with you," he laughed and flashed a crooked smile that made Nico's cheeks hot. They sat on Nico's bed and Percy looked around the cabin and nodded in appreciation.

"This is very you," he said looking at Nico.

"Thanks," he said.

"So, have you thought about last night?" Nico blushed and tried to hide under his bangs but Percy laughed and took his hand again.

"Percy, I don't know if I'm ready for everyone to-"

"Forget about everyone else," Percy said firmly. "I'm asking if you want to be with me. Do you want to be my boyfriend?" Percy held his hand tighter. "We can worry about the rest later." He was afraid. Afraid to allow himself to have it now that it was right in front of him but the feel of Percy's hand in his own made him sure.

"I do want to be with you," he said looking at Percy. The smile that Percy gave him was so happy that he started to think he was dreaming again. He never thought he would have Percy Jackson sitting on his bed asking him to be his boyfriend or looking at him like that. Percy kissed him again and this time Nico leaned into it. It was still innocent. This was still new to both of them and Nico didn't mind taking it slow. As far as he was concerned they could kiss like that forever and it would still be more than he had ever hoped for.

* * *

But actually "being" with Percy was harder done than said. For two weeks they had no alone time together. Nico was still too self-conscious to be affection or anything close to it during the day around the other campers. They couldn't just pop into each other's cabins and risk being caught, and sneaking out at night meant tangling with the harpies. It was only thanks to Hazel that they were able to meet even a little. Hazel had succeeded in finding what used to be the camp entrance to the labyrinth. She used her power to shape what was once a tunnel into a little cave. It wasn't much but it was somewhere they could be alone for a little while every day. They would wake up early, make sure they weren't seen walking to the woods and slip into the opening. Inside the roof of the cave was covered in quartz stalactites about the length of your hand and Nico summoned Greek fire torches on the walls just like the ones that burned on the outside of cabin thirteen. The green fire reflected off the crystals making shimmering lights dance on the walls in a weird combination of colors.

"Yeah it was pretty good actually." Nico and Percy were lying on their backs looking up at the crystal roof.

"I haven't been to a movie in forever," said Percy. "What was it called?"

"I don't know but that Tom Cruise guy was in it," replied Nico.

"We should go to New Rome and go see a movie together," Percy said, turning his head to look at Nico.

"You mean like a date?" Nico grinned and kept looking at the ceiling.

"Yeah, like a date," Percy said seriously. Nico turned his head and looked at him.

"Nico, we can't keep this up," he said. "I mean, this is good for right now but what about later? We can't even sit together at meals. We're limited to this."

"I know…" Nico said softly.

"What can I do?" Percy asked. "What can I do to help you shut out everyone else?"

"I'm getting there," he took Percy's hand and looked into his eyes. "So, just keep doing what you're doing." Percy smiled and kissed him.

During the rest of the day they were friends in public, maybe best friends. They worked together at the sword fighting arena, they walked and talked and their entire group of friends sat together at the sing-along mostly so no one would notice Percy and Nico sitting together. It went on like this for days. Their friends were happy for them and agreed to keep it among themselves. Nico wasn't lying, he was trying not to care what everyone would think, but trying to do it without reconstructing those angry emotional walls he use to hide behind.

* * *

"Hazel, I don't know what to do. Even if we come out and tell everyone, we still can't really be together. The camp rules keep us apart all the time except for training." Nico flopped onto his bed. They had just gotten back from the campfire and he missed Percy already.

"Why do you always talk about being with Percy in public like you have to make some big announcement about the two of you?" Asked Hazel. She was busy sharpening her colored pencils at her desk.

"Wha-?"

"It's not like that. You just be with Percy and people can guess, whisper, point, some may even come up and ask you but that's not the same as announcing it to the world."

"Yeah, I guess," he said.

"And I guess New Rome is the answer to the rest of the problem," said Hazel.

"It is?"

"Well, you and Percy could get an apartment, if you could accept that as your home."

"Would you come with us?" He asked, staring at her back. Even with Percy, leaving Hazel would be hard.

"Would you want your sister living with you and your boyfriend?" She turned around and gave him a "yeah, right" smile.

"If Percy wants to be with me then he can accept you too, but what about leaving Will?" Hazel turned her head, trying to hide a smile.

"Will hasn't said anything to me…like that," she said.

"You could ask him…"

"I don't think so," she said with a laugh. Then she turned around to look at him. "Anyway, living with you and Percy might not be so bad. Maybe I can even thicken the walls so I don't hear disturbing things." His jaw dropped in shock and his face turned red.

"Oh my gods, Hazel! We haven't- Why would you say that?" Hazel ignored his question and all he could do was watch her laugh until tears started rolling down her cheeks.

* * *

"New Rome?"

They were back in their cave and Percy brought a blanket to spread over the hard packed earth. They were lying on their sides facing each other –heads propped on their hands. Nico was actually excited about the idea of moving back to New Rome with Percy and Hazel.

"Yeah, I mean if you wanted to." Nico said. Percy looked down and started picking at fuzz on the blanket and at first Nico was worried that Percy didn't want this, that maybe he was moving too fast.

"It's just…Annabeth and I had planned this too and we never got there." Nico felt so foolish. How could he forget that? Of course New Rome would be a sore spot for Percy.

"I'm sorry," he started.

"No, it's okay. I won't let it hold me back from you, from us." He still couldn't get over those looks Percy would give him. Percy looked at him like he'd found some buried treasure and he couldn't believe it.

"And Hazel will come too?" Percy asked. Nico couldn't help it, he laughed and he just knew he was blushing too.

"Yeah, she'll come," he said once he stopped chuckling.

"What is it?" Percy asked, grinning.

"Nothing," Nico said, trying not to look at Percy.

"Tell me. Please?" Nico made the mistake of looking up and those sea-green eyes caught him easily.

"She just said something about having to use her powers to thicken the walls because of us." He was trying to fight down his blush. At first Percy said nothing but then he saw understanding dawn on him and Percy blushed a little too. He smiled at Nico and there was something sly about it.

"Well, that's not a bad idea…" Before Nico could react, Percy was kissing him. This wasn't like their normal sweet kisses this a little more aggressive. And then Percy licked his bottom lip and sent a thrill of excitement through him. He opened his mouth and the kiss deepened. And then Percy was on top of him, settling between his thighs. They fit like two puzzle pieces. He released Nico's mouth and started kissing down his neck all the way to his collarbone, but he stopped quickly after. He sat up on his knees, still between Nico's legs and looked down at him. There was a satisfied smile on his face.

"We have to stop. They'll be calling for breakfast soon." He bent back down to give Nico another quick kiss. "And you were starting to moan too loud," he whispered.

Had he been moaning? He didn't even remember. He was panting slightly and somehow felt relaxed and tense at the same time. He was usually cooler than normal but right then his body temperature was so high he felt like he would melt any second. He didn't want to stop but Percy was right. They left the cave and headed out of the woods together, Nico holding his boyfriend's hand.

* * *

Almost that very morning they contacted Reyna. She said she could have a two bedroom apartment ready for them whenever they wanted, as a special favor. It didn't take very much tweaking since Percy was eighteen and Nico and Hazel were independent because their mortal parents were gone. For that whole day they were openly affectionate. It wasn't anything huge. They held hands a little and kissed once or twice. Some people noticed and whispered but nothing big. It honestly had not been something Nico did consciously. He wasn't thinking about it, he was just happy. Maybe it was that heated make-out session but he knew he couldn't stop touching Percy now. Some wall that he didn't even know was between them was ripped down and they were more comfortable together.

They decided to hang out with everyone else in the amphitheater before leaving. They ended up laughing the whole time because Piper told then that one of her half-siblings saw them kiss and according to Piper the entire Aphrodite cabin was "shipping" them or whatever that meant. They were also harassing her for details. Jason looked the most happy for them, probably because he'd been watching on the sidelines the longest. When Nico and Hazel went back to the cabin to finish packing, he noticed she had a small smile playing around her lips.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah," she said smiling wider.

"Do I wanna know?"

"Will asked me if he came to visit Camp Jupiter would I show him around."

"And will he be visiting soon?" He gave his sister a knowing look.

"I think so," she said.

Hazel offered to collapse the cave before they left, but Percy wanted it left alone. Not just because of the moments he and Nico shared there but also for other couples who might find it and use it as secret hide-away.

* * *

The best part had been the look on Reyna's face. All three of them went to her office to fill out paperwork for the apartment and at first she was confused about three of them living in a two bedroom space but then Percy took Nico's hand and told her they were sharing. Reyna didn't show emotion often but she couldn't hide how big her eyes got and or the way she'd stuttered before catching herself. Nico had to hold in a laugh and he suspected Percy and Hazel were doing the same.

Hazel wanted to stop for coffee but Nico was too excited about seeing the apartment. All the apartment complexes in New Rome were nice three story buildings and with slender Corinthian columns. They were on the ground floor and the inside of the apartment was nice. They had a surprising amount of space and the two bedrooms were on opposite ends. Nico was silently grateful for that. The rooms had queen size beds already in them and a standard couch that didn't look too comfortable. The carpet was white and fluffy and they all agreed it was nice enough but lacked personality.

Unfortunately none of them had jobs yet so decorating would have to come later, but Percy's mom promised to help. That was another good thing about New Rome. Your mortal parents could visit you. Percy talked to his mom in an Iris message before they left Camp Half-Blood. He told her everything and according to Percy she was very happy for them. Nico was also expected for visits and Holiday dinners. They dropped clothes and bags in their rooms and went back out to find food. Percy held Nico's hand as they walked and for once he didn't even glance around to see if anyone was looking, probably a mistake.

"Hazel!" Jessica called. She was walking around the open air market with a group of friends and had apparently spotted Hazel first. It wasn't long before her eyes settled on Nico, and then Percy, and their conjoined hands. Her expression was like watching an airplane plummet. She tried to smile and gave a weak wave before turning away. He had forgotten about Jessica and his rejection of her –how she ran crying from the woods back at Camp Half-Blood. Percy and Hazel attempted to make him feel better and worked a little but he still felt a little guilty.

It was their first night in the new apartment. The first time he was sleeping in the same bed as Percy and he was still brooding over Jessica. He was sitting on the bed with his back against the wall, one leg draped over the side and the other knee tucked under his chin. He came back to reality when Percy walked into the room wearing nothing but loose grey sweat pants and a white tank top. He'd just gotten out of the shower and his hair was still a little wet. It wasn't the normal wind-blown mess he was used to seeing that made Percy look like he was standing on the deck of a ship at sea and you could never reach him. Now his hair was plastered to his face and sides of his head. Combined with those sea-green eyes, he looked like he'd just walked off the cover of some romance novel. Nico felt ridiculous in his black boxers and black _Death Note_ t-shirt. He was nowhere near good enough for this guy.

"You okay?" Percy asked, flashing him a smile.

"Yeah," he said.

"You sure? You're not still bummed over Jessica?" Nico didn't respond, he didn't have to because Percy was looking right at him and he knew it was stamped across his face. Percy sighed and sat on the bed next to him.

"What happened sucked," he said, throwing an arm around Nico's shoulders and pulling him close, "but why are you this bugged about it?"

"I guess…I know how she feels. I know what it's like to care about someone and for them to not feel the same way about you." He looked at Percy. He didn't want to make Percy feel bad but it was true. Percy looked back at him and his eyes were full sympathy and a little guilt.

"I know," he said, "but Jessica will find someone, the right person. You found me Nico, and maybe it was too soon but I'm here now." He reached up and rubbed his hand across Nico's cheek. "Now are you going to make me jealous all night?"

"Jealous?" Nico looked at him in bewilderment.

"Well, you've been thinking about someone else almost all day and you're so upset over her…"

"No," Nico said smiling, "it's nothing like that."

"Good," Percy said and then a smile spread across his face. "That would have made the rest of tonight pretty awkward."

They kissed but nothing else and that was fine with Nico. He was happy just being close to Percy. When lights were off and they were snuggled under the sheets together, just talking while his hands trailed over Percy's face and chest, that's when he was happy.

"Have you ever…I mean that time in the cave…" It was dark and Percy couldn't see his face and Nico was glad because he could feel the heat of his own blush. "You kind knew what you were doing," he laughed.

"Oh, yeah, one time," he said. Nico didn't need to guess who. Annabeth was the only person Percy had dated before him.

"I've never done anything," admitted Nico.

"That's okay. That's perfect actually. I want to be your first whenever you're ready."

Percy wanted him and that was enough to make Nico drunk with happiness. And he wanted Percy. There was no one else he wanted, had ever wanted except for Percy. But he was very aware of how ignorant he was when it came to the subject of sex. Yeah he fantasized about Percy plenty over the years but a fantasy wasn't going to tell him what he needed to know.

* * *

"I think this conversation is a bit too much for me…" said Hazel with wide eyes.

"Hazel, please? I love him." Nico sat on the foot of her bed while she leaned against her pillows. Percy was out job hunting and Nico came into her room looking nervous and restless.

"Nico, I can't tell you anything. I mean…that's not something I have experience with either," she said slowly.

"I know, but there has to be something somewhere!"

"Wait," she said and got up to walk to her desk. She opened the drawer and pulled out a laptop."

"Where did you get that?" He asked, looking at her.

"It was kind of a good-bye gift from Will. He was teaching me more about them since I was in the underworld through the whole computer thing," she said. "You remember how to use it?"

"Kind of," he said.

"Well, your answers will be somewhere on Google, I bet." She gave the laptop him and he started searching.

"Oh my gods…" he mumbled.

"I don't want to see anything! Do not turn that screen around!" Hazel tried to go back to drawing and then strange noises started coming from the device and Nico turned an impressive shade of crimson.

"Nico! Just take it! Go! Get out!" She chucked a pillow at him as he left the room and decided she needed to be somewhere else tonight.

* * *

The next day he tried to behave normally but he knew his foot was bouncing and the anxiety was rolling off of him in waves. He accidentally wilted a bag of rose petals and decided they were stupid anyway and shoved them into the trash. He nixed the candles too. If they were going to do this it was going to be as natural as that morning in the cave.

He was a wreck all through dinner. He was nervous and excited and it took every ounce of will power to hold his foot still. Hazel left after dinner under the excuse that she wanted to ride Arion for a while, but shot her brother a knowing look. Waiting for Percy to get out of the shower was almost agonizing but when the water stopped his palms started to sweat. And maybe he was too quiet when Percy walked back into the room but it didn't matter. When Percy flipped off the light and crawled into bed next to him he felt a little better.

"Percy?"

"Hmm?" Percy wrapped his arms around Nico lazily.

"I heard this legend today…about demi-sea gods," he said quietly. If the lights were on Percy would see the wicked glint in his boyfriend's black eyes but in the dark Nico sounded innocent.

"What legend?"

"I heard…" he pushed Percy away gently until his back was against the wall, "that you can make them moan…" he slid down under the covers, "if you do this." He kissed down Percy's stomach, past his belly button, running his hands over his hip bones, and then Nico began to suck, wrapping his lips around his boyfriend in a way he'd only dreamed of.

Hearing Percy gasp his name made him feel truly powerful for the first time in his life. It was hard to, but he stopped and crawled back up to be at eye-level with his boyfriend. Percy pinned him to the bed immediately, coiling his fingers with Nico's and kissing him fiercely. When Percy finally let him breath, Nico smirked in the dark.

"I guess the legend is true," he said.

"Let's see if it works on demi-death gods…" Percy whispered, sending chills up his spine.

It worked so well he wondered if the neighbors heard him when Percy was done. He wasn't expecting it to hurt but it did. Percy whispered sweet apologies in his ear and took things slowly. When it was over and they were wrapped together as closely as possible, Nico could feel sleep dragging him under. Percy was running his fingers through Nico's hair which was only lulling him to sleep faster.

"Nico?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you love me?" Percy asked. The question made him open his eyes in the dark.

"I do love you," he said honestly, "I've always loved you."

"I love you too," Percy said, sighing in relief. "You fill my head. I can't think of anyone else."

* * *

_End_

[1] Pilaster: A rectangular column with a capital and base, projecting only slightly from a wall as an ornamental motif.


End file.
